% ^^ ^> 






V » 






> "^1^^ J'X ^w;^ ^"^ "^^^ /\ '"'^''v 









0' 



° " ° ^ 'O 



'^0^ 






V^^, 



I". 



' -o- 



'^. 



yc 



<t. 









V ->, 






o ho' ^ 






^ 



.0 



.0 ^r- * VV^ 



'-^ " o „ = - -y 



"-f^. 







't^O ■-' , 


cA ■ •, 




ff , 1 ' 






'W. 


i 


I ' » „ 




• 






























1^ t 



%■ 



^. 






^OV' 







-n^o^ 



r^o" .4 o^ 






"v^. 






Si « ^M ni 



'mm''. 







^ 



V 



\^ 






<>. c>^ ^^«R'v V A^ ' :i^|CA:. "V, 



vs^ 




-^•^ ^<^ . 3?- .*^' -\ 



,'; ,YC- y/'/ - 



^^ 



^ ^ A 



A 



"^^0^ :<^' 




^ 









^ySuAijj 



HISTORY 



OF THE 



TOWN OF CARLISLE 

MASSACHUSETTS 

1754-1920 



WITH BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES 
OF PROMINENT PERSONS 

BY 

SIDNEY A. BULL 



1920 

THE MURRAY PRINTING COMPANY 

CAMBRIDGE, MASS. 






"If you would not he forgotten as soon as 
you are dead, either write things worth 
reading or do things irorth writing," 






DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY 

OF THE 

PIONEER SETTLERS AND EARLY RESIDENTS OF CARLISLE 

TO THEIR WIDELY SCATTERED DESCENDANTS 

AND 

TO NATIVE AND ADOPTED CITIZENS 



I 



CONTENTS 

PAGE 

INTRODUCTION ix 

CHAPTER I 1 

The District of Carlisle 

CHAPTER II ........... . 14 

The Second District of Carlisle — Names of First Officials. 

CHAPTER III 27 

Carlisle a Town — Town Pound — Hearse — Hearse House — 
Improvement Association — Town Hall — Fire Engine — Car- 
lisle Volunteer Fire Company. 

CHAPTER IV 39 

Post Office — Postmasters — Town Report — Tithingmen — Town 
Safes — Appraisers at Town Farm — Noon Hour Bell — Railroads. 

CHAPTER V 43 

Early Military History — Names of Revolutionary Soldiers — 
Muster at Concord — Captain Davis Monument — Centennial 
Anniversary, Concord and Lexington. 

CHAPTER VI 51 

Paupers — Town Farm. 

CHAPTER VII 55 

Schools and Schoolhouses. 

CHAPTER VIII 62 

Centennial — Revolutionary Tavern — Flag Staffs and Flags — 
Town Seal — Home of Rev. and Mrs. Benson Perley Wilkins. 

CHAPTER IX 69 

Burying Grounds — Green Summer House — Heald Memorial 
Arch — Richardson Mausoleum — Wilson Memorial Chapel. 

CHAPTER X 80 

Bridges. 

CHAPTER XI 86 

Civil War — Names of Soldiers. 

CHAPTER XII 95 

Soldiers' Monument. 

CHAPTER XIII ........... 105 

Free Public Library — Gleason Library — Historic Collection. 

CHAPTER XIV 118 

Town Bounds — Town Clocks — Carlisle Pines — Street Rail- 
ways — Electric Lighting — Public Telephone Station. 

V 



VI CONTENTS 

PAGE 

CHAPTER XV 127 

Town Officials — Town Clerks — Town Treasurers — Selectmen 

— Representatives — Justices of the Peace — Physicians — Popu- 
lation. 

CHAPTER XVI 134 

Timothy Wilkins' Deed — Reuben Duren's Deed — Cyrus Nut- 
ting's Deed — Will of Simon Blood, Junr. — Will of George Rob- 
bins — Will of Joanna Gleason — Stop Thief — Died in a Fit — 
An Old Bill — Deed of Meeting House Pew. 

CHAPTER XVII 150 

Religious Matters — Meeting House — Bells — Horse Sheds — 
Obligation for Building a Meeting House — Account of Expense of 
Building the Meeting House — First Religious Society — Church 

— Litchfield Parsonage — Funeral Sermon, Rev. Paul Litch- 
field. 

CHAPTER XVIII ........... 207 

Union Calvinistic Church — Carlisle Congregational Church — 
Congregational Parsonage — Lease of Isaac Duren. 

CHAPTER XIX 233 

Old Home Days. 

CHAPTER XX 239 

Topography — Boundary — Area — Agriculture — Altitude — 
Tophet Swamp — Brooks — River — Healthful — Copper Mine 

— Granite. 

CHAPTER XXI 246 

Carlisle Soldiers in the World War. 

CHAPTER XXII 251 

Carlisle, England. 

CHAPTER XXIII 256 

College Graduates. 

CHAPTER XXIV 262 

Survey of Common — Early Customs — Concord Monuments — 
The Nickles Cranberry Company — Cold Year — Dark Day — 
Yellow Day — Histories of Carlisle — Wild Pigeons — Long 
Block. 

CHAPTER XXV ........... 268 

Epitaphs from Central Burying Ground — Epitaphs from Green 
Cemetery. 

CHAPTER XXVI 319 

Biographies — Solomon Andrews — Rev. Paul Litchfield — Capt. 
Thomas Green — John Dana Robbins' — Benjamin Franklin Heald 
— Dr. Austin Marsh — George Frederick Duren — Joanna Parker 
Gleason — John Proctor Davis — George Heald Bobbins — Paul 
Franklin Litchfield — Daniel Webster Robbins — Capt. Horace 
Waldo Wilson — Sidney Augustus Bull — John Everett Bull — 
Mary A. Green — Warren Bradley Chamberlin — William Frank- 
lin Litchfield — Dennis A. Long. 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 

^^ortrait of Sidney A. Bull Frontispiece 

Town Farm Dwelling Facing page 52 

^Highland Schoolhouse 58 

y Revolutionary Tavern Gi 

Home of Rev. and Mrs. Benson Perley Wilkins 06 

Green Summer House, Green Cemetery 72 

4leald Memorial Arch 74 

Richardson Mausoleum 76 

^ Wilson Memorial Chapel, Green Cemetery 78 

' Soldiers' Monument on the Common 94 

• Portrait of Mrs. Lydia S. Patten 106 

' Portrait of Joanna Parker Gleason 110 

'Gleason Library 114 

''Home of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas A. Green 118 

^^treet Scene and Common, Carlisle Center 122 

' Unitarian Meeting-house 164 

'Litchfield Parsonage . 176 

" ^Congregational Church 222 

^Congregational Parsonage 228 

Victoria Park, Carlisle, England 250 

■ Market Place, Carlisle, England 250 

■'Cathedral, Carlisle, England 254 

'Castle, Carlisle, England 254 

-''Long Block. Carlisle Center 266 

'' Portrait of Captain Thomas Green 322 

V Home of Captain Thomas Green 324 

^'Portrait of Major Benjamin Franklin Heald 326 

^Portrait of Dr. Austin Marsh 328 

. Portrait of George Frederick Duren 330 

, Portrait of John Proctor Davis 332 

- Portrait of George Heald Bobbins 334 

Portrait of Paul Franklin Litchfield 336 

Portrait of Daniel Webster Robbins 338 

Portrait of Captain Horace Waldo Wilson 340 

Portrait of Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Augustus Bull 341 

Portrait of Dennis A. Long 344 

Store of S. A. & J. E. Bull 346 

Portrait of John Everett Bull 348 

Portrait of Mary A. Green 350 

Portrait of Warren Bradley Chamberlin 352 

Portrait of William Franklin Litchfield 354 



INTRODUCTION 

It was with a great deal of reluctance and many 
misgivings that the author consented to heed the impor- 
tunities of many of the good people of Carlisle to write 
a history of the town, and had not these importunities 
been repeated over a period of several years, they would 
have been forgotten and ineffectual. 

Having written a partial history of the town for 
Lewis's History of Middlesex County, thirty years ago, 
he fully realized the labor and research involved in com- 
piling a history that would be complete and correct. 
He has taken pains to verify all statements herein con- 
tained as to accuracy but realizes that they are far from 
being complete; much more might have been written, 
but the aim has been to record the more important events 
that have transpired in the town. 

The larger portion of the information has been gleaned 
from town and church records, and the author wishes 
hereby to thank the officers of both town and church for 
the favors they have granted in allowing access to these 
records. Much valuable information has also been ob- 
tained from newspaper clippings and from ancient docu- 
ments, for which the author is exceedingly grateful to all 
who have supplied them; especially to Mr. and Mrs. 
Thomas A. Green, of CarHsle, who have furnished the 
larger number, and who also compiled the list of cemetery 
epitaphs. To Mr. William F. Litchfield, of Maynard, he 
wishes to acknowledge his appreciation for information of 
his ancestor, the Rev. Paul Litchfield. And to Mrs. 
Benson P. Wilkins, of Carlisle, thanks are due for the 
record that she compiled of the World War soldiers, from 



X INTRODUCTION 

Carlisle. The map was drawn for reproduction by 
Warren H. Manning, of Billerica, who is authority on 
landscape design and regional planning and in making 
the map has been very serviceable to the author. 

Many others have contributed and should have due 
credit here, but the list if it included all would be cumber- 
some, so the author can only say "thank you" and add 
that the courtesy that has been shown him on every hand 
has made enjoyable a task that otherwise would have 
been arduous. 

Carlisle has had a unique experience in getting 
established. Was there another town in the State, or 
nation, that had so varied and prolonged an experience 
to attain its major'ty.^* From December 18, 1732, which 
is the first recorded date of a move for incorporation, 
until February 18, 1805, when Carlisle was finally incor- 
porated a town, covered a period of seventy-two years 
and two months. A lengthy procedure for establishing 
a municipality. It would be misleading to give the im- 
pression that it had not enjoyed a corporate existence 
during all that time, for it had twice been established as 
a district, and so existed for a period of twenty-seven 
and a half years. Perseverance and tenacity appear to 
have been prominent virtues of those early settlers; they 
persisted until they got what they were after, and their 
courage also should be recognized, for it stood by them 
until they won the crown. 

The author likes to use the synonym " Carlisle the 
crown." History records that the Grecian athletes won 
the crown only by supreme effort, and thus was the es- 
tablishment of a new town the crowning act of its perse- 
vering sponsors. Secondly, a crown is valuable, — and 
so is Carlisle. Quoting from the answer of the town of 
Concord, in reply to a petition of the inhabitants of the 
northerly part of said town praying to be set off a separate 



INTRODUCTION XI 

district, they say: "and is the most valuable part of the 
Town being the most fertile and Profitable land." 

Thirdly, a crown is small. So is Carlisle, as compared 
with the group of surrounding towns, four of which 
contributed some of the best of their area for its forma- 
tion; and thus it more readily adjusts itself to our mental 
conception of a crown. 

Fourthly, a crown is beautiful. So is Carlisle. It 
has hill and dale, brooks and river, flowers and fruit, 
that should attract the pleasure seeker as well as the 
person seeking recreation or a rural home. 

Fifth and finally. There is no necessity for a crown 
until there is something to be crowned, and the author 
is sure that the promoters of the new town, the last of 
the group to be incorporated, were glad to acknowledge 
the magnanimity of those surrounding towns contributing 
to her area of territory by presenting to them and to 
posterity the result of their crowning efforts, the new town 
of Carlisle. 

Billerica, August 14, 1920. 



HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

Chapter I 
THE DISTRICT OF CARLISLE 

The town of Concord, Mass., was incorporated 
September 3, 1635 (old style), being one of the earliest 
inland settlements in the State, and in extent of territory 
originally one of the largest towns in Middlesex County, 
having contributed from its borders in part, for the forma- 
tion of five surrounding towns as well as aiding in their 
colonization, Carlisle is one of this group of five towns 
claiming Concord as a mother town. 

Carlisle was twice incorporated as a district before 
becoming a town. The first district of Carlisle was 
wholly formed from territory originally comprising the 
northerly part of Concord, "which contained within its 
bounds about six thousand and six hundred acres, and 
sixty families, and included some of the best part of the 
town." This first district also included eighteen hundred 
and fifty acres of land, with fifteen families thereon, 
known as Blood's Farm. Rev. Henry A. Hazen, in writing 
the history of Billerica in History of Middlesex County, 
makes the following reference to "Blood's Farm": "In 
1684 the Bloods had obtained an Indian deed to 
quite a large tract, claimed also by Billerica, in the 
vicinity of Carlisle Village." The demand for the separa- 
tion began more than twenty years before it finally took 
place. "As early as December 18, 1732, Jonathan Blood, 
John Parlin and twenty-six others, inhabitants of the 

1 



% HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

northerly part of Concord, subscribed to an agreement to 
support meetings for public worship at the house of 
Joseph Adams" (which house is still standing on the main 
road to Concord, and in the town of Concord, a short 
distance beyond the present bounds of Carlisle). "The 
whole amount thus subscribed was £ 18.4s. The subscribers 
appear to have organized as a society, to have chosen a 
clerk, and to have held meetings for prudential affairs, 
sometimes at the house of David Parlin. 

"At a meeting of the inhabitants of Concord, held 
May 21, 1733, a vote was passed pursuant to an article 
in the warrant, upon the questions, 'whether the town 
would make allowance to sundry inhabitants of the north 
part of Concord, to support preaching amongst them in 
the winter season; or would set off the said inhabitants, 
to be a separate precinct,' both of which were decided in 
the negative." This appears to have been the beginning 
of numerous petitions and counter-petitions subsequently 
presented to the town of Concord and the General Court 
to establish the proposed district, of which the following 
are the more prominent. In 1734 a petition of Benjamin 
Stone and twenty-five others was presented to the General 
Court, requesting the establishment of the district; on 
the same day a petition containing twenty-eight names 
stating their unwillingness to be set off a separate district 
was filed, and the matter was dismissed. At a town meet- 
ing held in Concord, March 7, 1737-38, the inhabitants 
voted on two petitions, one by Zechariah Blood and others, 
and one by Eleazer Brown and others. The town refused, 
by a vote of seventy-six to twenty-six, to grant the latter 
petition; they also rejected the former petition, since more 
people living within the bounds of the proposed district 
appeared to oppose than favor it. At a meeting of the 
inhabitants of Concord held March 3, 1739-40, the town 
refused another petition of Jonathan Blood and others. 



THE DISTRICT OF CARLISLE 3 

In the warrant for a town meeting to be held May 12, 
1746, there was a petition by John Hartwell and others for 
that portion of Concord north of the Concord River to 
be set off as a separate precinct. The meeting was ad- 
journed to May 20, at which time the petition was con- 
sidered, and referred to the next town meeting, which was 
held on November 17 of the same year. The article 
appeared in the warrant, and upon consideration was as 
before referred to the next town meeting. The next town 
meeting was held by adjournment on March 3, 1747, and 
the warrant contained no reference to this petition. The 
reason presented for the granting of this petition was 
"in order to their more conveniant coming to ye publik 
worship of God, from which they are many times many of 
them hindred by ye Difficulty of passing ye river in times 
of flud and by ye great Distance of their aboad from ye 
place where ye publike worship of God is now upheld." 

Six years then passed, after fifteen years of ineffectual 
attempts to induce the town of Concord to establish the 
people living in the northerly part of the town as a separate 
precinct. Now a new plan was to be tried. James Chandler 
and forty-six other inliabitants of this territory, excluding 
the "Blood's Farms," petitioned the General Court to 
be set off as a separate district; "this petition was read in 
the House September 13, 1753, and notice thereon ordered 
to be served on the town of Concord, returnable at the 
next sitting of the Court." In the meantime Jonathan 
Blood and twenty-seven others petitioned the General 
Court to be included within the bounds of the proposed 
district, and requested that the bounds be so altered as to 
include "Blood's Farms." On the return day, which was 
December 12, 1753, "Jonathan Brooks and twenty others 
who lived within the territory described in Chandler's 
petition, filed their objection to being "layed ofiF, in any 
shape, according to that request." On October 22, 1753, 



4 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

the town of Concord voted to grant the petition of 
Jonathan Blood and others with certain hmitations of 
bounds, and so reported to the General Court on the 
above-named return day. 

On December 13, the day following the hearing by the 
legislative committee, another petition, signed by John 
Hart well and forty- two others, was presented and referred 
to the same legislative committee. This petition asserts 
that the preceding petition of Jonathan Blood and others 
was for "No other end But to Defeat your Petitioners," 
who claim to have "Lately Prefer'd a Petition to this 
Honourable Court to Set off a Saperat District on the 
Northerly Side of the River in Said Concord. Your 
Petitioners therefore Humbly Pray your Excellency and 
Honours would Take our Cause into your wise Considera- 
tion and not Grant the Petition of S*^ Jonathan Blood 
and others till after your Petitioners Shall have a hear- 
ing." On December 14 the joint legislative committee 
submitted their written report, in which they state that 
they find "such an uneasiness and disagreement amongst 
the parties that they report it is their opinion that the 
petitions and answers be referred to the next sitting of 
this Court, for further consideration, unless the parties 
should, before that time, accommodate their differences 
among themselves." 

During the recess of the Legislature, at least six 
different petitions and reports were addressed to the com- 
mittee who had the matter in charge, and on March 28, 
1754, this being the second day of the fourth legislative 
session, the original "committee to whom was referred 
the Petition of Jon" Blood and others the Inhabitants 
of the North'^ part of Concord praying to be made a 
Seperate District, & also the Answer of the Selectmen 
of the Town of Concord, having hear'd the Parties & 
considered the several Papers Given in on the same; — 



THE DISTRICT OF CARLISLE 5 

Are of Opinion That the Prayer of the s*^ Petition be so 
far granted as that they be sett off and made a Seperate 
District," by the following act. 

"An act for dividing the town of Concord, and making 
a district of the northerly part thereof by the name of 
Carlisle. 

"Whereas the inhabitants of the northerly part of 
the town of Concord, by reason of their being remote 
from the place of the publick worship of God, have peti- 
tioned this court to be set off a separate district, — 

"Z?e it enacted by the Governour, Council and House 
of Representatives, 

"{Sect. 1.) That the northerly part of the town of 
Concord within the following bounds: viz., beginning at 
Concord River, at the mouth of Ralph's Brook, so called, 
and running westerly, to a white-oak tree on or by the 
highway on the easterly side of Hunt's Hill, otherwise 
called Gravel Hill; thence, still westerly, to a heap of 
stones by the wall in the highway, about four rods northerly 
of Daniel Cole's barn, and so, extending on a straight 
line, to a way a little westerly of Richard Temple's house; 
and then running northerly, by said way, which leads 
toward Acton Line, till it comes to Benjamin Temple's 
land; thence running to Acton Line, so as to take into 
the new district the said Benjamin Temple's land; and 
from thence, bounded on Acton and Billerica, untill it 
comes to Concord River, taking in Blood's Farm, so 
called; and then, on Concord River, to where the line 
first began, be and hereby is set off from the said town of 
Concord, and erected into a separate and distinct district 
by the name of Carlisle; and that the inhabitants thereof 
do the duties that are required, and be invested with all 
the powers, privileges and immunities which the inhabi- 
tants of any town within this province do, or by law ought 
to, enjoy, excepting only the privilege of chusing a repre- 



b HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

sentative to represent them in the great and general 
court; in chusing of whom the inhabitants of said district 
shall join with the inhabitants of the town of Concord, 
as they have heretofore done, and also in paying said 
representative; and that the town of Concord, as often 
as they shall call a meeting for the choice of a representa- 
tive, shall give seasonable notice to the clerk of said 
district, for the time being, of the time and place of said 
meeting, to the end that the said district may join them 
therein: and the clerk of said district shall set up, in some 
publick place in said district, a notification thereof accord- 
ingly: provided, nevertheless, the said district shall pay their 
proportionable part of all such town, county, parish and 
province charges as are already assessed, in like manner 
as though this act had never been made. 

"And be it further enacted, 

''{Sect. 2.) That the inhabitants of the said district 
shall, from time to time, forever, hereafter, pay their 
proportionable part of the charge of keeping in good repair 
the great North Bridge, so called, over Concord River; 
and that James Minot, Esq^ is hereby impowered to issue 
his warrant, directed to some principal inhabitant in 
said district, requiring him to warn the inhabitants of 
said district, qualified by law to vote in to\\^l affairs, 
to meet, at such time and place as shall be therein set 
forth, to chuse all such officers as shall be necessary to 
manage the affairs of said district. 

"Passed April 19, 1754." 

As a coincidence worthy of note it may be stated tliat 
legislative records establish the fact that Lincoln, formed 
from portions of Concord, Lexington and Weston, and 
located also in Middlesex County, was established a town 
on the same date that Carlisle was established a district. 

The province laws, in recording the proceedings 
relative to the legal establishment of this new district. 



THE DISTRICT OF CARLISLE 7 

make no mention of the title by which it is to be recog- 
nized. We first find this in the enactive clause of the legis- 
lative act of establishment, and Carlisle is the title given. 
In regard to the origin of the name, the late Mr. Benjamin 
F. Heald, in a history of Middlesex County, published 
by Samuel Adams Drake, writes: "The name was derived 
from Carlisle in Cumberland County, England, the birth- 
place and early home of James Adams, known in the early 
records as 'Goodman Adams,' who was banished from 
England for political offenses by Ohver Cromwell, about 
1640, and was said to have been the first white man who 
settled within the limits of the district." 

Now that the district was established, the next impor- 
tant matter seems to have been to decide upon a location 
for a meeting-house. Several committees had been ap- 
pointed with this end in view, and several sites had been 
selected. The geographical center of the district had been 
ascertained by a surveyor, but with the multiplicity of 
effort there appeared to be on the part of a majority of 
the inhabitants more than a parallel multiplicity of dis- 
couragements regarding their ability finally to determine 
upon a satisfactory location. 

A petition dated January 15, 1755, and signed by 
David Whittaker and seventeen others, recounting the 
cost and diflSculties that they were sustaining as a district, 
was presented to the selectmen, requesting that they 
"Call a Meeting of the district as soon as Can be and 
Insert as an Article in your warrant for s*^ Meeting to see 
if the district will agree by a vote to petition the Great 
and General Court that the whole district may be Dismist 
from any further proceedings as a district and be laid to 
the Town of Concord as heretofore." In response to the 
above petition, a meeting of the inhabitants was called 
for January 22, 1755, and after the matter had been de- 
bated, it was " voted that they will petition the Great and 



8 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

General Court for an addition of territory on the southerly 
part of the district. At the annual March meeting a 
committee was chosen to present the above petition to 
the General Court, but at a district meeting subsequently 
held in April, and before the committee had acted in the 
matter, the district by vote dismissed said committee 
from further proceeding in the affair. 

Another petition, signed by Jonathan Puffer and 
thirty-eight others, was at once presented to the General 
Court, "praying that the district be layed back to the town 
of Concord with all its former privileges." This was fol- 
lowed by a counter-petition signed by Ephraim Keyes and 
fifty-two others, inhabitants of Carlisle, and the adjacent 
borders of Chelmsford, Billerica and Acton, and repre- 
sented the petitioners' urgent need of a meeting-house, 
which, if erected in Carlisle, would accommodate them 
all. Wherefore they prayed to be incorporated into a 
township or district which would include portions of land, 
with the inhabitants on the same, belonging to Carlisle, 
Billerica, Chelmsford, Acton and Westford. These peti- 
tioners represented that they had mutually agreed on the 
location where the meeting-house should be built. 

Notice of these petitions was ordered to be served 
upon the non-petitioners in the district and upon the 
several towns. In due course these two petitions were 
referred to a committee of the General Court, as were also 
the answers from the several towns, and in each case it 
was voted that the petition be dismissed. 

The answer of the district of Carlisle to the petition 
of Puffer and others was a reiteration of the willingness 
of the inhabitants to have the district enlarged by an 
addition from the adjoining territory of Concord, and that 
enlargement of their territory from any other town would 
ruin them. 

The answer of Carlisle to the petition of Keyes 



THE DISTRICT OF CARLISLE if 

and others was in part, "if the prayer of the petitioners 
should be granted, the inhabitants of the district would 
be in a worse condition than they were when they all 
belonged to the town of Concord, that they would be 
joined with a great number of poor persons; and there is 
the uttermost danger of our being greatly imposed upon 
as to our religious circumstances, by being joined to a 
number of separates, many of whom lie under church 
censure, or debarred of church privileges, in the church or 
churches where they belong, and are mostly separates 
from our common way of divine worship, and for a long 
time have forsaken the standing ministry, and heard a 
lay exhorter, whom we suppose they would settle among 
us, or at least one of the same persuasion." 

The answer of Westford to the petition of Keyes and 
others was, in the main, if the prayer of the petitioners 
were to be granted they should consider themselves 
almost ruined and undone, that they had just gotten 
through with settling a minister and building a meeting- 
house, and getting convenient highways, "and to begin 
the world anew, we are not able to do it." 

The town of Chelmsford chose a committee and 
instructed them "to use such arguments against the 
petition of Keyes and others, as they should think most 
proper." This committee represented that the remoteness 
of the petitioners from the meeting-houses of the several 
towns to which they belonged, which they had given 
as their principal reason for being erected into a new 
township or district, was not the only true reason why the 
major part of the petitioners of Chelmsford desired to 
be set off, but that they had a greater reason, which they 
had not expressed in their petition, inasmuch as, for a year 
and a half, or more, they had separated from the regular 
church and congregation in the town, and attended the 
ministrations of one Samuel Hide, late a tailor in Boston, 



10 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

but now a bold illiterate separate speaker or exhorter, 
who had been brought into town by some of their num- 
ber, to the great disorder and disturbance of the church 
and town, and to the no small hurt and damage of even 
some of their number; and that the major part of 
the said petitioners were either those who have here- 
tofore been disaffected to the ministry and church, or 
drawn in by their influence, and that they joined in 
the petition in order to facilitate a settlement for their 
exhorter. They therefore prayed that the petition be 
dismissed. 

The remonstrance of William Shed and thirteen 
others, and the answer of the town of Billerica, by Thomas 
Kidder, who had been chosen for the purpose, were in 
substance that, within a few years they had built a 
meeting-house and settled a minister, and had built a 
large bridge over Concord River, against the meeting- 
house, and that many of the petitioners for separation 
were so poor and needy "as they cannot support or carry 
on" such charges as will inevitably arise in a new township, 
and that the line proposed in Keyes' petition would come 
within two miles of the meeting-house in Billerica, and 
that most of the principal inhabitants were opposed to 
the separation. Wherefore the town prayed that the said 
petition be dismissed. 

John Davis, junior, and Samuel Davis, a committee 
chosen by the town of Acton, answered for that town, 
approving a remonstrance of sundry inhabitants of that 
town, and declaring that there were but two signers of 
Keyes' petition belonging to Acton, one of whom had since 
died, and neither of whom had possession there; that not 
many years before, the town, by order of the General 
Court, had built a meeting-house, and settled a minister; 
that the prayer of the petitioners was for setting off 
one-seventh part of the families in the town, which would 



THE DISTRICT OF CARLISLE 11 

reduce the town to a condition in which they would be 
unable to perform the duties of a town; and would, more- 
over, make the existing site of their meeting-house no 
longer central. 

Considering the large number of petitions and remon- 
strances that were submitted, praying for or against the 
dissolution or enlargement of the district, without results, 
there was little prospect that the matter would be finally 
dropped and abandoned without further effort. Conse- 
quently during the following summer a general meeting 
of the inhabitants of the district was held, when the 
project of getting the district set back to Concord was 
renewed, and a committee from the district was appointed 
with this end in view. That they attended to the duties 
assigned them is indicated by the following petition. 
"To his Excellency Wilham Shirly Esq"", and Governer 
in Chief of his Majestiess Province of the Massachusetts 
Bay in New England. To the Honb''' His Majesties 
Councel: And the Honb''' the house of Representitive 
of Said Province in General Court Assembled. August 
12, 1756. The Petition of the District of Carlisle in the 
County of Middlesex by their Committee Humbly 
Sheweth, — 

"That whereas your Petitioners being Set off, of the 
Northerly Part of Concord a Separate District in April, 
1754, And there being but a very Small Majority (if any) 
that were freeholders included in S*^ District that were 
Petitioners for being Sett off which Render'd our Case 
very Difficult and we Still Remain in a very Broken 
Posture. And altho there has been many Trials and in 
various ways for Coming into some ammicable agree- 
ment for building up the Place according to ye Intent 
of our being Set off. And Seeing all means Fail, and appre- 
hending the utter impossibility of ever Coming into any 
further agreement for Setting up a House for the Publick 



12 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

worship. Did at a District meeting on ye 14th of July 
Last Come into the Folowing Vote. 

"That the District will Petition the Great and General 
Com't that the whole of the District be Return'd Back to 
the Town of Concord with all their Former Priviledges — 
(And also that none of the Inhabitants be set off again 
into a Separate Town District or Precinct Excepting 
Such as shall hereafter Sign a Petition to the Great and 
General Court to be set off.) 

"We therefore Humbly Pray in the Name of the 
District that your Excellency and Honours would Take 
your District Distrest Condition into your wise Consider- 
ation and Releave us according to the vote of the District 
or in Such a way and manner as your Excellency and 
Honours Shall in j^our Great wisdom Think Fit — &c. 

"As in Duty Bound Shall Ever Pray 

John Barrett ] Comitt" for 

Jonathan Puffer j- the District of 
Daniel Raymond j Carlisle'' 

This petition received the attention of the General 
Court on the day of its date, and notice of same was 
ordered to be served on the town of Concord, returnable on 
the first Tuesday of the next session in October. On 
September 28, at a town meeting called for the purpose, 
the town of Concord voted not to choose a committee 
to oppose the petition, and also that they would receive 
the district back agreeable to their petition, and the 
following order was passed. 

"In Council October 6, 1756, Read again and it 
appearing that the Pet" had Served the Town of Con- 
cord with a Copy of the Pet" who have made no answer 
to the same Therefore Ordered that the Prayer of the 
Petition be granted and that the Inhabit"'^ of the 
District of Carlisle together with their Estates be annexed 
to the Town of Concord agreeable to their Pet" there 



THE DISTRICT OF CARLISLE 13 

to do duty and enjoy Priviledge accordingly. Sent down 
for Concurrence — 

Thos. Clarke Dep^^ Secry. 
In the House of Rep'"' Ocf 6, 1756 Read and Concur'd 

AlP' Roland Cotton Cler Pro Temp' 

Consented to — S. Phips." 

For two years, five months and seventeen days, the 
district of CarHsle was privileged with an independent 
existence, and then by the stroke of a pen, by the same 
authority that gave it life, was returned again to form a 
part of the mother town, which had reluctantly consented 
to the original separation. The period of separation was 
a period of trouble and disappointments because of the con- 
tinued disagreement on a location for erecting a meeting- 
house, which, because of their lack of unity, they never 
had. The only cause recorded in the act setting them off 
as a separate district was, "by reason of their being remote 
from the place of the publick worship of God," apparently 
a remedial difficulty, but in reality a proved impossibility. 
When the district was set back to Concord there remained 
some financial adjustments that required the further 
interposition of the General Court. These received imme- 
diate attention and the entire transaction was completed. 



Chapter II 
THE SECOND DISTRICT OF CARLISLE 

For the next sixteen years no evidence of dissatis- 
faction among the people of the former district has been 
discovered. A petition, however, signed by Jeremiah 
Andrews, John Robbins, Samuel Green and fifty-four 
others, inhabitants of Concord, Billerica, Chelmsford and 
Acton, "living near together, and far distant from the 
place of public worship in their respective towns," was pre- 
sented to the General Court at the first session in 1772-73, 
praying that in order that they may be erected into a 
separate town or district, according to certain bounds 
designated in their petition, and comprising about seventy- 
six families, "a committee of the Legislature might be 
appointed, at the expense of the petitioners, to view their 
situation and circumstances." The petitioners alleged as 
reasons for their prayer that divers of them lived from three 
to seven miles from the regular places of worship in their 
respective towns, and out of a just regard to the reli- 
gious education of their children had, at their own expense, 
erected a place of public worship among themselves, not 
more than two and a half miles distant from any of their 
homes; which, and the hiring preaching from time to 
time, added to the province taxes, and their full propor- 
tion of the salaries of the ministers of the towns they now 
belong to proved a burden extremely heavy. 

The Legislature gave due consideration to the above 
petition, also to "the petitions of a number of the Inhabi- 
tants of the S*^ Towns who are Included within the 
limits prayed for, who pray that they may not be set off 

14 



THE SECOND DISTRICT OF CARLISLE 15 

from ye Several Towns or Parishes to which they respec- 
tively belong, together with the Answer of the Towns 
of Concord, Billerica and Chemsford, have attended that 
Service, fully heard the parties, and on due Consideration 
are of the Opinion that the S"^ petition be dismissed, 
which is Submitted. 

Wm. Sever, orcT 

" In Council, January 2l\ 1773, Read and Accepted 
and Ordered that the petition above referred to be Dis- 
missed Accordingly. 

" Sent down for Conference. 

THo^ Flucker, Sec^- 

" In the House of Representatives, January 21, 1773. 
Read and Concurred. 

T. CUSHING, SpV" 

After the lapse of a little more than six years since 
the petition of certain inhabitants living near together, 
but in remote parts of Concord, Billerica, Chelmsford 
and Acton, who prayed to be erected into a separate 
town or district, had been considered by a legislative 
committee, and finally dismissed, another petition by 
John Green and others, inhabitants of the same locality 
and praying for similar action, and dated INIarch 8, 1779, 
also engaged the attention of the Legislature. These 
petitioners set forth their great distance from places of 
public worship in their respective towns; and also that 
they had built a house for the public worship of God, and 
had for twenty years supported preaching at their own 
expense; and promised to exempt any who should be in- 
corporated with them in the proposed district from any 
contribution toward the cost of the building up to that 
time. 

The petitioners also submitted the bounds and a 
plan for the intended district with the information that 
the territory included ninety dwellings and one hundred 



16 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

and two families. A legislative committee appointed on 
this petition repaired to the said towns, viewed the situa- 
tion, considered the petitions and remonstrances, which 
had grown very numerous and very imperative, and 
reported back to the General Court that the committee 
were fully of opinion that the prayer of said petition should 
be granted, with certain limitations which were named 
in their report; and that the petitioners have leave to 
bring in a bill for that purpose, which they did, and 
the new district was established according to the follow- 
ing act. 

"An act for erecting a District in the County 
OP Middlesex, by the name of Carlisle. 

"Whereas the inhabitants of the extreem parts of 
the towns of Concord, Acton, Chelmsford and Billerica, 
have for many years laboured under great difficulties and 
inconveniencies by reason of their remoteness from the 
places of public worship in the towns to which they, 
respectively, belong, and having supported the cost and 
charge of preaching for several years past, and labour 
under other great difficulties and disadvantages; and have 
earnestly requested this Court that they may be incorpo- 
rated into a district, — 

''Be it therefore enacted by the Council and House of 
Representatives in (ieneral Court assembled, and by the 
authority of the same: 

"{Sect. 1.) That the tract of land bounded as follows; 
viz. : — beginning at the corner of land belonging to 
Issacher Andrews, upon Concord River; then running 
north, sixty degrees west, thirty-six poles; north, nine 
degrees west, sixty-six poles; north, fifty-eight degrees 
west, forty poles; north, thirty-two degrees west, two 
hundred and forty-five poles; north, twenty-seven degrees 
east, one hundred and fifty poles ; north, thirty-six degrees 
west, one hundred and fifteen poles; north, sixty degrees 



THE SECOND DISTRICT OF CARLISLE 17 

west, ninety poles; north, fifty-two degrees west, one 
hundred and sixty-two poles; north, twenty- two degrees 
east, eighteen poles; north, sixty-eight degrees west, two 
hundred poles; south, seventy-eight degrees west, three 
hundred and eighty poles; south, sixty-five degrees west, 
three hundred and sixty-eight poles; south, three degrees 
east, two hundred and thirty-five poles; south, seventy- 
five degrees west, two hundred and sixty poles; south, 
one degree west, one hundred and seventy-two poles; 
south, seven degrees east, four hundred and thirty- 
five poles; south, fifty degrees east, five hundred and 
fifteen poles; south, sixty-four degrees east, six hundred 
poles; from thence, on the river aforesaid, to the corner 
first mentioned, running in a strait line north, twenty- 
six degrees east, eight hundred and fifty-five poles; con- 
taining about ten thousand one hundred and twenty- 
four acres, — be and hereby is incorporated into a district 
by the name of Carlisle; and that the said district be and 
hereby is invested with all the powers, privileges and 
immunities that towns in this State do or may enjoy, that 
of sending a representative to the General Assembly only 
excepted; and that the inhabitants of said district shall 
have liberty, from time to time, to join with the town of 
Acton in choosing a representative, and shall be notified 
of the time and place of election in like manner with the 
inhabitants of the said town of Acton, by a warrant from 
the selectmen of said town, directed to a constable or 
constables of said district, requiring him or them to warn 
the inhabitants to attend the meeting at time and place 
assigned; which warrant shall be seasonably returned by 
the said constable or constables, and the representative 
may be chosen indifferently from the said town or district, 
the pay or allowance to be borne by the town and district 
in proportion as they shall, from time to time, pay to the 
State tax. 



18 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

"And be it further enacted. 

"{Sect. ?.) That William Stickney, Esq., be and 
hereby is impowered to issue his warrant directed to some 
principal inhabitant within the district, requiring him 
to warn the inhabitants of said district, qualified to vote 
in town affairs, to assemble at some suitable time, and 
place in said district, to choose such officers as are 
necessary to manage the affairs of said district. 

"Provided nevertheless, — 

" {Sect. 3.) The said district shall pay one-sixth part 
of the charges that may arise from the maintaining of the 
North Bridge in Concord, untill the inhabitants of said 
district shall build a bridge from said district over said 
river, and no longer. 

"And 'provided further, — 

"{Sect. If-.) The inhabitants of said district shall 
support a pauper named Sarah Fletcher, and all other poor 
who now are or may be inhabitants within the limits of the 
same, let them belong to either of the towns aforesaid. 

"Provided, likewise, — 

" {Sect. 5.) The inhabitants of said district shall 
pay their proportionable part of all such Towti, County, 
and State taxes as are already assessed or may be assessed 
upon them during the present setting of the General Court, 
by the respective towns to which they have belonged, 
and of all public debts which may be now due from said 
towns. 

"And it is hereby further enacted, — 

" {Sect. 6.) That the inhabitants of said district be 
intitled, and they hereby are enabled, to demand and 
receive their just proportion of the arms and ammuni- 
tion to which they were entitled from their several towns, 
previous to this act being passed. 

"Provided, nevertheless, — And be it further enacted, — 

" {Sect. 7.) That Thomas Brown, Nathan Buttrick, 



THE SECOND DISTRICT OF CARLISLE 19 

Oliver Barron, Sam'l Kibby, John Blood and Willard 
Blood, included in the boundary line of this bill, with their 
lands, be excluded out of said bill; but that they have 
liberty of inserting their names in the secretary's ofBce 
within one year from the date of this bill, that they choose 
to belong to Carlisle; that such of them as shall so insert 
their names shall be considered as part of the district of 
Carlisle, anything in this bill to the contrary notwith- 
standing. 

"Passed April 28, 1780." 

On April 29, the day following the passage of the pre- 
ceding bill, William Stickney, Esq., issued his warrant, 
directed to Asa Green, as one of the principal inhabitants 
within said district, requiring him to warn the inhabitants 
of said district, qualified by law to vote in town affairs, 
to assemble at the meeting-house on Monday, the eighth 
day of May, 1780, at two o'clock in the afternoon, to 
choose such officers as are necessary to manage the affairs 
of said district for the ensuing year. 

Phineas Blood was chosen moderator, and the 
following is a full list of all the officers chosen to conduct 
the affairs of the newly incorporated district for the first 
year of its existence. 

District Clerk: Zebulun Spaulding. 

Selectmen, Assessors and Overseers of Poor: Zebulun 
Spaulding, Phineas Blood, Lieut. John Heald. 

Committee of Safety: Capt. John Green, Thomas 
Spaulding, Capt. Israel Heald, Thomas Hod,gnian, Nathan 
Munroe. 

Constables: Timothy Wilkins, Sergt. Simeon Barrett. 

Surveyors of Highways: Jonas Robbins, John Rob- 
bins, Jr., Edward Brown, Isaac Wilkins, Simon Blood, 
Jr., Ebenezer Hardy. 

Tythingmen: Nathan Munroe, Isachar Andrews. 

Fence-Viewers: Nathaniel Parker, John Robbins. 



20 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

Hog-Reeves: Amos Flint, Josiah Heald, John Nickles, 
Edmond Andrews. 

Sealer of Leather: Henry Fletcher. 

Sealer of "Weights and Measures: Lieut. Asa Green. 

Field Drivers: Christopher Barritt, Samuel Davis, 
Jonathan Robbins, Phineas Blood. 

Deer-Reef: Jonas Robbins. 

Surveyor of Boards and Timber: Thomas Spaulding. 

Sealer of Hoops and Staves : Samuel Green. 

The General Court of the Colony of ^Massachusetts 
Bay, during the session of 1775-76. passed an act declaring 
"That every corporate body in this colony which in the 
act for incorporation thereof is said and declared to be 
made a district, shall beholden, taken and intended to be, 
a town to all intents and purposes whatsoever. Passed 
August 23." 

Now it is worthy of note that Carlisle was the first 
district in the colony incorporated after the passage of 
the above act, and also that it was the only district in 
Massachusetts at the time of the adoption of the consti- 
tution of the Commonwealth. The second district-meeting 
was called for Thursday, June 1, to be held also in the 
meeting-house. At this meeting a committee of three 
persons was chosen to see that the district be supplied 
with preaching for the ensuing year, and it was also voted 
to raise the sum of two thousand pounds for the support 
of the Gospel during said time, and before the close of the 
year it was voted to raise another sum of equal amount, 
in addition, for the same purpose; it was also further 
voted to build the body-seats, and ceil up the meeting- 
house as high as the bottom of the windows, and the sum 
of one thousand pounds was raised to be applied towards 
completing the work. A committee of five were chosen 
to superintend the improvements. 

Sums varying in amount were raised for various 



THE SECOND DISTRICT OF CARLISLE 21 

purposes; for instance, two thousand pounds were raised 
to support the poor and defray the necessary charges 
that may arise in the district during the year; also two 
thousand pounds to amend and repair the highways and 
district roads; also under the head of this article it was 
voted that the sum of thirty dollars a day be allowed each 
man who shall work on the highways and perform his 
duty to the acceptance of the surveyors, and that a man 
with team (which probably implied an ox-team) shall be 
paid at the rate of sixty dollars per day. 

These various sums appropriated appear to be extrav- 
agant in the extreme, but the situation was as follows: 
In the year 1776 the General Court authorized bills of 
credit, which were to pass at face value in pajanent of 
all bills. There were also in circulation Continental bills 
of credit issued by the Federal Government, under a 
similar proviso, both of which finally became depreci- 
ated in value. A severe penalty was incurred for receiving 
or passing these bills at a rate less than their face value. 
This paper money began to depreciate about January 
1, 1777, and was the source of much annoyance in the 
settlement of all obligations until the General Court in 
1780 established a scale of depreciation for each month 
from January, 1777, until April, 1780, to be legal for the 
settlement of all accounts in the State. The depreciation 
increased month by month. One hundred dollars in gold 
or silver in January, 1777, was equal to one hundred and 
five dollars in the bills of credit of the United States. 
In January, 1778, one hundred dollars was equal to three 
hundred and twenty-five dollars in bills of credit; in 
January, 1779, to seven hundred and forty-two dollars: 
and in April, 1780, one hundred dollars in gold or silver 
was equal to four thousand dollars in Continental bills. 
So it will appear that the man who worked on the high- 
ways with his ox-team and received for his labor the sum 



22 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

of sixty dollars in bills per day, really got but one dollar 
and fifty cents in "solid cash." 

The district was incorporated just in time to vote for 
the first governor under the State constitution, and the 
record of a meeting called for that purpose and held 
September 4, 1780, reads as follows: " Voted and Chose for 
Governor the Hon''''' John Hancock, Esqr., of Boston, 
by 28 votes. Voted and Chose for Lieutenant, James 
Bowdoin Esqr., of Boston, by 28 votes." 

Considerable attention was given during the first 
two years of the existence of the district to the laying 
out of new roads, and repairing and straightening some 
that had previously existed. As early as December 21, 
1780, it was voted by the inhabitants that the "district 
be divided by the Selectmen into six squadrons in order 
for the schools." For many years this division was adhered 
to, and the money raised by the district was equally 
divided between the sections. 

There is a school fund, amounting to the sum of 
five hundred dollars, given by will of the late Simon 
Blood, Jr., the interest of which can only be used, and is 
annually applied toward the support of schools. 

The following is a copy of the first order found in 
the records for paying for schooling, viz.: 

"Carlisle, February 27, 1781. 
"To Capt. Samuel Heald, Treasurer. 

Sir: Please to pay out of the money raised to support 
schooling, to Samuel Emery, the Sum of one Hundred and 
fifty Pounds to answer his Demands for keeping a writing 
school in said Carlisle, one month and boarding himself, 
£150.0.0. 

" By order of the Selectmen. 

" Zeuulun Spaulding, District Clerk." 

The first monry that was paid for taking care of the 
meeting-house, of which any record was made in the town- 



THE SECOND DISTEICT OF CARLISLE 23 

books, was the sum of twelve shillings and twopence, 
which was paid out of the town treasury to 3,Ir. Timothy 
Wilkins, Jr., for sweeping and taking care of the meeting- 
house for one year ending the first of March, 1784. 

Other payments of similar amounts were made to 
various persons for the same service in subsequent 
years. 

In early times it appears to have been the duty of 
the selectmen to guard against the possibility of any 
person coming into the district to reside who would be 
likely to become a pauper, and instances are of common 
occurrence where persons thus suspected were warned by 
the constable to depart out of the district. One order 
drawn on the district treasurer, and dated March 2, 
1786, is for the sum of seventeen shillings, to be paid to 
Deacon John Robbins for service done the district in 
warning out seventeen persons. The following is a copy 
of a summons taken from the town records, and will 
serve as a sample of many others that are to be found 
therein : 

"Middlesex, S. S. To Dea. John Robbins, one of the 
constables of the District of Carlisle, in the County of 
Middlesex, Greeting: 

"Whereas, Sarah Crosby, who is an inhabitant of 
the Town of Billerica, Came last from Westford on the 
Eighth of November instant to Reside in the District of 
Carlisle, the circumstances of the above Named person is 
such it is Supposed She will Soon be Chargeable to Some 
place, and the Selectmen of Said Carlisle do Refuse to 
admit her, the above named person, of becoming an inhab- 
itant, or any way Chargeable to Said Carlisle or any of 
the inhabitants thereof. 

"These are therefore in the Name of the Common- 
wealth of Massachusetts, to Require you immediately to 
warn the above-named person forthwith to Depart out of 



24 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

Said District and Stay no longer within the Bounds of 
the Same. Hereof fail not, etc. 



\sA Parlin, 



> Selechnen. 



Jonathan Heald, 
Carlisle, November 12, 1785." 

At the annual April meeting in the year 1790 it was 
voted to have a collector for the whole district, to collect 
the district rates, and that the office should be given to 
the lowest bidder, providing he shall be required to fur- 
nish satisfactory bondsmen. Previous to this date the 
service had been performed by the constables, two of 
whom were annually appointed, one for the east, and one 
for the west side of the district; and the rates for that part 
of the district for which they were chosen constable were 
committed to them to collect. 

Mr. Amos Blood's bid for collecting was fourpence 
halfpenny on the pound, and since he was the lowest 
bidder, he was chosen as the first collector under the more 
modern provisions of the preceding vote. 

Previous to the year 1790 it had been the custom for 
the selectmen to commit the warrant for calling district 
meetings to the constables, who personally warned the 
inhabitants, one taking the east side, and the other the 
west side of the district, the dividing line being the road 
from Chelmsford to Concord, which at that time passed 
near the meeting-house. The southern part of this road 
is now known as the Old Concord Road, and for purpose 
of travel is practically abandoned. 

At a meeting of the inhabitants held on the fourth 
day of October, 1790, it was voted that the annual meet- 
ings in March and April be warned in the future by post- 
ing up a copy of the warrant at the meeting-house the 
number of days required by law previous to said meeting. 
Thus was inaugurated the modern method practiced until 
the present day. 



THE SECOND DISTRICT OF CARLISLE 25 

The first record that is found relating to guide-posts 
is recorded under the proceedings for the year 1796, and is 
as follows: "The Selectmen of Carlisle have agreed that 
it would be convenient to have Guide Posts Set up at the 
following places in Said Carlisle, viz: one near Mr. Tim- 
othy Wilkins, Jun'l House, to Direct to Chelmsford 
and Bedford; one near the School House in the East part 
of Carlisle, to direct to Concord and Bedford; one near 
the School House in the South-west part of Carlisle, 
to Direct to Concord, Chelmsford and Carlisle." The 
following year several sums were paid out of the treasury 
for guide-boards and expenses in procuring and erecting 
same, and it would seem that a number were erected in 
the district. 

In the year 1801 the district made their first appro- 
priation for music, when it was voted to raise the sum of 
twenty-five dollars for the purpose of hiring a singing- 
master. In subsequent years larger amounts were often 
raised and appropriated for the same purpose. 

In the year 1802 the district voted that a premium of 
twenty-five cents a head on crows be allowed to any 
inhabitant of the district who should kill them within the 
limits of the district. Lieut. Daniel Wheat was author- 
ized to pay for same on presentation and, as subsequently 
appears, seventy-three crows were carried to him and paid 
for, at an expense to the district of $18.25. 

Another similar offer was made by the town when, in 
the year 1872, it voted that the sum of twenty-five cents 
be paid out of the town treasury for each woodchuck killed 
within its limits. A committee of five persons, located 
in different parts of the town, were chosen to receive them 
and keep the record. The result was the destruction of five 
hundred and sixty animals, for which the town paid the 
sum of one hundred and forty dollars. The largest number 
credited to any one person was forty-three, for which Mr. 



26 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

C. H. Hutchinson was paid the sum of $10.75. Mr. 
Amos Baldwin reported the next largest number, and 
received the sum of nine dollars for the destruction of 
thirty-six animals. 

At the annual district meeting held March 7, 1803, 
it was voted that the selectmen serve gratis the ensuing 
year. Since it was customary on various occasions, 
connected with their duties, to provide spirituous refresh- 
ments, there might have been to some a temptation to 
aspire to the office notwithstanding the lack of financial 
compensation. 



Chapter III 
CARLISLE INCORPORATED A TOWN 

By the act which incorporated the district of Carhsle, 
it was debarred of the privilege of sending a representative 
annually to the General Court from among its own citizens 
and, while enjoying all the other privileges usually granted 
to towns, it was compelled to join with the town of Acton 
in the choice of a representative. 

Several times the question of making application 
to be incorporated as a town had been agitated by the 
inhabitants of the district, but it was not until June 11, 
1804, that final action was taken. On that date the inhab- 
itants were assembled, agreeable to a warrant for that 
purpose, the first article in which was as follows: "To 
see if the District will agree to chuse agents to petition 
to the General Court to have said District of Carlisle 
separated from the Town of Acton, and that they may 
have appelation of Town instead of District, agreeable 
to a request of a number of the inhabitants of said Dis- 
trict, and pass any votes respecting the matter which 
they may think proper when met. " 

The action taken on this article was that the district 
make choice by ballot of an agent to petition the General 
Court to have the change brought about, and to have the 
district incorporated as a town. Jonathan Heald, Esq., 
was elected as agent, and the result of the petition was the 
following act of the Legislature, which incorporated the 
district as a town, after having existed as a district for the 
space of nearly twenty-five years. 

27 



28 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

"Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 

In the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred 
and five. 

An Act to incorporate the district of Car- 
lisle IN THE County of Middlesex, into a town by 
THE name of Carlisle. 

Sect. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of 
Representatives, in General Court assembled, and by the 
authority of the same. That the district of CarHsle, in the 
County of Middlesex, be, and hereby is, incorporated into 
a Town, by the name of Carlisle. And the said town is 
hereby vested with all the powers, privileges, and immun- 
ities to which other Towns are entitled by the Constitution 
and Laws of this Commonwealth. 

Sect. 2. Be it further enacted, That the said Town of 
Carlisle shall be liable to be assessed for the pay of Repre- 
sentatives heretofore chosen, in the same manner, and 
in the same proportion as if this Act had not passed. 

Approved February 18, 1805." 

The foregoing act was signed by his Excellency 
Caleb Strong, Governor of the Commonwealth, and 
marked an eventful era in the history of the town, the 
time when it outlived its minority and put on the full 
garb of manhood, standing shoulder to shoulder with its 
fellow towns in point of privilege as well as responsibility. 

It appears by the town records that an order was 
drawn on the town treasurer on the twenty-fifth of the 
succeeding March in favor of Jonathan Heald, Esq., for 
the amount of forty-seven dollars, payment for his attend- 
ing the General Court twenty-one and a half days for the 
purpose of getting the act of incorporation passed, and 
for cash paid the clerk of the Senate, and a journey to 
Acton. The above amount probably covered the expense 
for the act of incorporation. 

In the early history of the town an article which 



CARLISLE INCORPORATED A TOWN 29 

annually appeared in the town warrant was as follows: 
"To see if the town will agree that horses, neat cattle and 
swine may run at large in the district." It was usually 
voted that this privilege be granted in the case of swine, 
but a vote in the negative was usually passed in relation 
to horses and neat cattle, except in the case of some poor 
persons who were required to get a permit from the select- 
men in order to avail themselves of the privilege. This 
article, as far as it relates to swine, appeared for the last 
time in 1831, and to horses and neat cattle in the year 
1836. Another custom which has become obsolete at the 
present day is that of annually choosing fish and deer- 
reeves. 

The practice of choosing a sexton at the annual town 
meeting appears to have originated in the year 1805. 
James Kemp was the first to hold this position by vote of 
the town, and his duties consisted in taking care of the 
burying-plaee, digging the graves, and taking charge of 
the meeting-house. This service was after a few years 
let out by auction to the lowest bidder. 

For a number of years it had been customary to 
vendue the collection of taxes, the lowest bidder, provided 
he could furnish satisfactory bonds, held the office, and 
was usually chosen constable. The price paid by the town 
for this service was usually four or five cents on a pound, 
but two instances appear on record where the collector 
paid the town for the privilege of the office, in the years 
1807 and 1808. In the former year Mr. Nathaniel Hutch- 
inson, Jr., offered to give one farthing on the pound and, 
in the latter year, the office was bid off by the same 
person, he agreeing to give the town four and a half cents 
on the pound to be made collector and constable. The 
explanation of this occurrence may be deduced from the 
fact that the custom prevailed of appointing the collector 
a constable, in those times a remunerative office; probably 



30 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

sufficiently so to justify paying a moderate amount in 
order to secure the two companion offices. 

There appears to have been a pound erected by the 
district soon after its incorporation, and by vote of the 
town its walls were used in preparing the foundation for 
the new meeting-house erected in 1811. In the year 1812, 
at a town-meeting held on the fourth day of May, the 
selectmen were chosen a committee to procure a location 
for a new pound, and also to let out the contract for build- 
ing same to the lowest bidder. Said contract was given 
to Mr. Nathaniel Parker, for which he was paid the sum of 
twenty-five dollars. This was probably the last pound 
erected by the town, and was located a few rods from the 
village, on the Westford road, and has since been removed, 
by consent of the town. 

Hearse and Hearse-House 

At a town meeting held April 4, 1808, it was ''voted 
that the town raise one hundred dollars to procure a 
hearse, and made choice of Capt. Nehemiah Andrews to 
expend said money, and provide a hearse for the use of the 
town." 

On March 10, 1809, the town treasurer paid out of 
the town's money to Mr. Isaac Blaisdell, who supported 
a wheelwright shop in the town at that time, the sum of 
$29.75, "it being for his building a hearse for the use of 
the town." Another order was drawn the preceding day 
in favor of Mr. Andrews, for the sum of $26.00, "it being 
for iron, harness and boxes, and his time, spend in pro- 
curing a hearse for the use of the town." A third order 
was drawn a little later in favor of James Kemp for the sum 
of $8.50, "it being for his doing the iron work on the 
hearse." 

These three amounts, the total of which is $64.25, 



HEARSE AND HEARSE-HOUSE 31 

are all that appear to have been paid from the town treas- 
ury for the purpose of paying for the first hearse which the 
town owned. There may be little doubt that this first 
carriage for the dead was made from good material, and 
was substantial in construction. The moderate bill of 
expense to the town, however, would preclude the idea 
that it inherited much of the symmetry and beauty of a 
modern vehicle built for the same purpose; and diseased 
indeed must be the brain that would contemplate suicide 
with the sole purpose of securing a final journey in this 
early carriage of state. 

Now that the town was the owner of a hearse, the 
further consideration was to provide for it a place of 
shelter. An article was inserted in the warrant for the 
annual April meeting of the following year, which called 
for the consideration of this question. At this meeting it 
was "voted that the town erect a hearse-house sixteen 
feet long, nine feet wide, and seven feet high." A commit- 
tee of three, consisting of Capt. Nathan Haywood, Paul 
Forbush and Capt. Stephen Blood, were chosen to prepare 
a plan for said building with specifications, which they 
were to present on the evening of the same day, when it 
was "voted that the erection of the building be vendued." 

The following order subsequently drawn on the 
treasurer would seem to indicate the name of the con- 
tractor, as well as the cost of the building, viz., "To Mr. 
Nathan Green, Jr., town treasurer, Sir: Please to pay out 
of the town's money to Capt. Nehemiah Andrews, twenty- 
six dollars and four cents, it being for his building a house 
for the town hearse." 

This building was located on the southeast corner of 
the Central Burying Ground, in the center of the town, 
where it stood until the year 1867, when the town voted 
that the selectmen be authorized to dispose of it in such 
manner as they deemed best. It was finally sold for $35, 



3^2 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

moved away, and transformed into a dwelling. During 
its existence as a hearse-house it answered the double pur- 
pose of providing a shelter for the hearse, and serving as 
a sort of armory, or receptacle for the town's supply of 
powder, firearms and equipments. 

In the year 1838 a committee of three were appointed 
by the town to have the old hearse repaired, which seems 
to have answered its purpose until the year 1865, when at 
a town-meeting held November 7 a committee of three 
persons were chosen to procure a new hearse, and to dis- 
pose of the old one. Messrs. E. S. Hutchins, George F. 
Duren and Nathaniel Hutchinson were the committee, 
and subsequently purchased a more modern carriage for 
the dead from A. Tolman & Co. of Worcester, for the sum 
of $430. The old hearse was sold at auction for two dollars 
and after certain alterations served the purchaser, a resi- 
dent townsman, as a pleasure wagon for a number of years. 

By vote of the town March 19, 1888, the selectmen 
were instructed to buy a pole and runners for the hearse, 
which they procured for the sum of $19.50 exclusive of the 
bill for painting. 

At a town meeting held May 25, 1867, the last article 
in the warrant was to "see if the town \vi\\ provide a 
suitable place for the new hearse or act thereon," when it 
was voted "that the selectmen be authorized to build a 
suitable hearse-house." The result of this vote was the 
building of a hearse-house, located in Green Cemetery, 
erected at an expense to the towTi of nearly $'-250. Sheds 
suitable for the accommodation of two teams, and a com- 
fort station, have since been connected on the southern 
side. 

The Common 

A little inconvenience appears to have been experi- 
enced by the inhabitants of the town from the fact that 



CARLISLE IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION 33 

the grant of land from Mr. Timothy Wilkins, mentioned 
elsewhere, did not include quite all of what is at present 
known as the Common, and in response to an article in the 
warrant for the annual town meeting, held Monday, 
March 1, 1813, a committee of three persons, Messrs. 
Frederick Blood, Nathan Green, Jr., and Thomas Heald, 
were chosen "to buy the land around the meeting-house 
within the roads, if they can agree with the owners 
thereof." 

The land desired appears to have belonged to Messrs. 
Reuben Duren and Cyrus Nutting. The committee pur- 
chased from Reuben Duren a strip of land, bounding the 
meeting-house lot on the south and west, estimated to con- 
tain one-half acre, more or less, for the sum of thirty 
dollars. They also purchased from Cyrus Nutting a piece 
of land bounding the meeting-house lot on the north, con- 
taining about six rods, for the sum of nine dollars. These 
two additions to the original meeting-house lot, which 
contained one and one-half acres, including all the land 
within the bounds of the roads, constitute what is now 
known as the Carlisle Common. 



Carlisle Improvement Association 

Several times during its existence the town has appro- 
priated money to be expended upon the Common. The 
largest sum appropriated at any one time was one hundred 
and twenty dollars, raised in the year 1828, and paid out 
for labor on the land around the meeting-house. In later 
years a modern organization, known as the Carlisle 
Improvement Association, has done much to improve the 
Common, besides building sidewalks, erecting street-lamps 
and otherwise beautifying the general appearance of the 
village. 

This society was organized April 8, 1878, with the 



34 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

following list of officers: President, Prescott Nickles; 
vice-president, Thomas A. Green; Secretary, Albert S. 
Day; treasurer, Marshall Lee; executive committee, Gil- 
man Nickles, I. F. Duren, J. F. Carr, Mrs. E. J. Green 
and Mrs. D. W. Robbins. Considerable money which 
this society has received from various entertainments 
given under its auspices, and from membership fees, has 
been judiciously expended for improving the general 
appearance of the town. 

Town Hall 

The question of building a town-house appears to have 
been thought to be worthy of consideration by some of 
the inhabitants of the town as early as the year 1833, for at 
a town meeting held on the first day of April in that year, 
the first article in the warrant read as follows: "To see if 
the town will agree to build a town-house, etc." The 
action of the town was to dismiss the article. 

Again, at a town meeting, held January 20, 1851, a 
committee previously appointed to provide a place to 
hold future town meetings was requested to report at the 
following March meeting "what would be the estimated 
expense of erecting a building suitable and convenient for 
town purposes." The committee reported as follows: 
"The expense of erecting a wooden building having a 
ground area of 14G8 feet, divided into a town hall, an 
entrance and two small anterooms, furnished in suitable 
manner, would be, according to the best information and 
judgment of the committee, $1648. It may be doubted 
whether it would be wise and judicious for the town to 
erect a building so small as that indicated in the above 
estimate. It might serve their present wants, but would 
hardly be suitable to accommodate a greatly increased 
population, etc." The town concluded in this case to hire 



TOWN HALL 35 

what was known as Parker's Hall for the sum of twenty- 
five dollars per annum, rather than be at the expense of 
building. 

During the time intervening between the years 
1845 and 1854, what was known as Mrs. Wheat's Hall, 
Parker's Hall, and Union Hall at the First Parish meeting- 
house, have been from time to time engaged for town pur- 
poses. On the latter named date the town engaged Union 
Hall for town purposes, for the consideration of twelve 
dollars per year, which price prevailed until the year 
1873, when the price was raised to twenty-five dollars per 
annum, this rate prevailing for more than twenty years. 
In the year 1918, the town was renting the same hall at 
an annual rate of one hundred dollars. 

At a town meeting held in Union Hall, Monday, 
March 17, 1890, Article Nine in the warrant read as fol- 
lows: "To see if the town will vote to build a town hall 
or otherwise provide a fireproof apartment for the safe- 
keeping of the town records; also to see what sum of 
money the town will raise and appropriate for said pur- 
pose. " A yea and nay vote was taken on the first section 
of the above article, resulting in thirty-one yeas, and 
twenty-seven nays; thus it was voted to build. The next 
vote passed was to adjourn to Saturday, March 22, at one 
o'clock p. m. 

At the adjourned meeting Daniel W. Robbins was 
in the chair, and votes were taken on raising various 
sums of money for building a Town Hall, as follows: 
$6000, lost; $5000, lost; $250, lost; $4000, lost; and the 
meeting dissolved. 

At a town meeting called for Saturday, April 5, 1890, 
the following articles appeared in the warrant : 

"Art. II. To see if the town will vote to constitute 
the Board of Selectmen and Assessors a building commit- 
tee, they to procure plans and specifications to be pre- 



36 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

sented to the town for their acceptance at a special meet- 
ing in April or May, the meeting to be called by order of 
said committee." 

"Art. III. To see what sum or sums the town will 
vote to appropriate for the erection of said building." 

"Art. IV. To see how much money the town will 
vote to raise the present year by taxation, toward what 
may be appropriated for the above-mentioned Town 
House." 

In response to the latter warrant, the voters of 
Carlisle met and took action as follows: Under Article I, 
elected Daniel W. Robbins moderator. Voted to adjourn. 
Thus ended another attempt on the part of the town to 
own a town hall, needed more especially at this time 
because of the fireproof feature, for the safe-keeping of 
the town records demanded by the State. 

Fire Engine 

In the year 1832 a fire engine was secured, partly by 
subscription with the balance being paid from the town 
treasury. The first officers elected were: John S. Baker, 
master; Isaac Duren, second master; Ai Wheat, clerk. 
Twenty-one engine men were appointed by the selectmen 
to work and manage the engine, which was an inferior 
machine and never of much advantage to the town. The 
engine was finally sold at auction by the town, in the year 
1868, for the sum of six dollars and fifty cents. 

The Carlisle Volunteer Fire Company 

On July 21, 1916, a meeting was called to organize a 
volunteer fire company. The meeting was called to order 
at eight p. m.. Fire Warden George G. Wilkins presiding. 
On motion it was "voted that a fire company be organ- 



THE CARLISLE VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY 37 

ized in Carlisle to be known as The Carlisle Volunteer 
Fire Company, for the purpose of protecting life and 
property from fire and especially from forest fires." 
Nineteen of those present at this meeting signified their 
desire to join the organization. The chair appointed 
Messrs. D. C. Whittemore, N. J. Burkett and J. J. Brad- 
ley as a committee to draft a constitution and by-laws, 
and the meeting adjourned. 

On September 16, 1916, the second meeting was 
called and presided over by Fire Warden George G. 
Wilkins. The committee on constitution and by-laws 
reported a constitution, containing nine articles, which 
with certain revisions was generally adopted, and the 
meeting was adjourned to September 23, 1916. At the 
adjourned meeting the permanent organization was 
formed and the following officers were elected by ballot: 
Captain, George G. Wilkins; Lieutenant, William Foss, 
Jr.; Clerk, Fred P. Nickles; Treasurer, D. C. Whitte- 
more. Finance Committee, James H. Wilkins, Winthrop 
Puffer, Roswell Teabo. 

Article V of the constitution, referring to member- 
ship, makes it imperative that members of the company 
shall be between the ages of sixteen and sixty-five years, 
and before admission to membership shall sign the roll, 
pay one dollar membership fee, and receive a two- thirds 
vote of members present and voting. The following is a 
list of members of The Carlisle Volunteer Fire Company, 
as of March 8, 1919: George G. Wilkins, Eugene R. 
Teabo, Edson B. Robbins, William Foss, Jr., George E. 
Heald, Dexter C. Whittemore, John J. Bradley, James H. 
Wilkins, Fred P. Nickles, Winthrop F. Puffer, Palmer 
Pedersen, Joseph Grenier, Henry N. Clark, George West, 
Samuel Kenney, George E. Wilkins, Warren C. Duren, 
Edwin B. Currier, Harry G. Saunders, E. L. Dow, Arthur 
C. Blaisdell, Charles R. Miller, Frank Booth, H. F. 



38 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

Heald, Charles S. Taylor, Edgar I. Blaisdell, Cris Hagan, 
Martin Olsen, W. S. Barrett, Alfred Pedersen, George I. 
Otterson, George E. Jones, Michael Lyan, Walter Koford. 
The Company's fire-fighting apparatus at the present 
time (1920) consists of a Ford truck equipped with fire 
extinguishers and ladders, which are stored in a building 
on Lowell Street belonging to Mr. A. C. Blaisdell, and for 
which the town pays the rent. 



Chapter IV 

POST OFFICE 

There has never been bilt one post office within the 
limits of the town of Carhsle. The date of its estabhsh- 
ment was March 12, 1834, and Dr. John Nelson was the 
first postmaster. The following-named persons have suc- 
cessively held the office, and against the name of each 
appears the time from which their several commissions 
date: Dr. John Nelson, March 12, 1834; Joseph V. Heald, 
December 23, 1835; John C. Nickles, April 13, 1842; 
James W. Wilkins, January 30, 1844; Artemas Parker, 
July 8, 1846; Lucius Stiles, June 8, 1849; George W. Green, 
December 2, 1852; John E. Cutter, July 20, 1859; Artemas 
Parker, November 12, 1861; John H. Champney, June 18, 
1867; Charles T. Worthley, March 2, 1868; Sidney A. Bull, 
July 1, 1870; John S. Gerow, January 14, 1887; Sidney A. 
Bull, April 10, 1889; John G. Blaisdell, April 11, 1893; 
W. B. Chamberlin, April 5, 1897; D. L. Chamberhn, 
April 25, 1898; W. B. Chamberlin, June 29, 1903; D. L. 
Chamberlin, December 11, 1907. 



Town Report 

In the year 1847 it was voted at the March meeting 
that the receipts and expenses of the town for the past 
year be printed, and that a copy of the same be furnished 
to each voter at the subsequent April meeting. This 
appears to be the first printed annual report of the town 
officials that the town ever authorized. 

39 



40 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

TiTHINGMEN 

The custom of annually choosing tithingmen pre- 
vailed in the town until the year 1850. The following is a 
list of those chosen at the annual March meeting in that 
year, they being the last ever elected by the town to that 
position: James W. Wilkins, Samuel P. Stevens, Gilman 
Nickles, Amos T. Monroe, Austin March, Nathaniel 
Hutchinson. 

Town Safes 

In the year 1857 Capt. Thomas Green, Mr. Selar 
Simons and Mr. Isaac Blaisdell were chosen a committee 
to purchase a safe for the better protection of the town 
records. The committee attended to their duties, and 
the town in settlement for the same paid J. J. Dunklee 
the sum of forty-five dollars. This was the first safe the 
town ever owned, and served its purpose until at a town 
meeting held November 7, 1893, the warrant for said 
meeting contained the following article: "Art. II. To see 
what action the town will take in regard to better pro- 
vision for the public records." "On motion of E. J. Carr 
it was voted to raise and appropriate one hundred dollars 
to purchase a safe for the safe keeping of the town records." 
"It was also voted that the selectmen purchase the safe," 
which they did at an expense to the town of ninety-one 
dollars, including freight and teaming. 

The two safes here mentioned are all that the town 
ever owned previous to the year 1895, the date on which 
the Gleason Library was erected, in the basement of 
which is a fireproof vault eight feet square, that supplies 
the needs of the town in this particular. 

Appraisers at Town Farm 

In the year 1858 Capt. Thomas Green, Cjtus Heald 
and William Green, 2d, were chosen to appraise property 



EAILROADS 41 

at the town farm; they were the first ever chosen by the 
town to that office. 

Noon Hour Bell 

An early custom, which has now become obsolete, 
was that of ringing one of the church bells at the noon 
hour. This practice was discontinued in Carlisle after 
the year 1869. It was in the warrant for the annual April 
meeting for that year that the usual article appeared, viz.: 
"To see if the town will vote to have the church-bell rung 
at the noon-hour during the ensuing year. " It is recorded 
that the town voted in response to said article (in a jocular 
sense, without doubt) "that any man that has a bell shall 
ring it himself." It would seem that this manner of 
settling the question was not satisfactory to some of the 
inhabitants, for another town meeting was called fourteen 
days later, the warrant for which contained but two 
articles, the first of which was in relation to having the 
church bell rung. The town voted that the selectmen be 
authorized to procure the use of one of the church bells 
and employ a suitable person to ring the same at twelve 
o'clock noon, the ensuing year; the article never again 
appeared in the warrant. 

Railroads 

Carlisle has been unfortunate as regards railroad 
accommodations, and yet twice, at least, has been called 
upon to take action in regard to a proposed location for 
one through the town. The first occasion was on January 
15, 1870, when a town meeting was called principally for 
the purpose of ascertaining if the town would take any 
action in regard to the proposed railroad from Framingham 
to Lowell, which would naturally pass through the town. 
The town voted that a committee of three persons be 



42 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

appointed by the selectmen, and that they have full power 
to take such action in reference to the location of the pro- 
posed railroad from Framingham to Lowell as will best 
subserve the interest and convenience of the town, and 
especially that they be authorized to pledge the town to 
subscribe twenty thousand dollars to the capital stock of 
said road. 

The committee subsequently appointed by the select- 
men were Messrs. Selar Simons, B. F. Heald and William 
W. Morse. Whatever efforts this committee may have put 
forth, the result was of but little benefit to the town, as the 
final location of the road was two and a half miles to the 
west of the center, barely crossing a corner of its territory, 
with the depot located just beyond its boundary lines, in 
the town of Westford. 

April 29, 1871, the town voted to take measures to 
secure a favorable location through its territory for the 
proposed Middlesex Central Railroad, and chose by ballot 
a committee of five persons, viz.: Messrs. H. Prescott, 
William Green, George H. Robbins, Benjamin Barrett and 
W. W. Morse, to assist in making a survey for said road. 
The town also voted to be assessed five per cent on its val- 
uation for the purpose of aiding to build the road, if a 
favorable location should be the result; this, however, 
was not the case, and the town today is without adequate 
steam railroad accommodations. 



Chapter V 
EARLY MILITARY HISTORY 

The second district of Carlisle had its birth in the 
middle of the Revolutionary War period, and demands 
were frequently made on the district for funds and men 
to supply her quota for the army. Carlisle appears to have 
been willing to perform her obligations in this respect, and 
at a meeting of the district held by adjournment in the 
meeting-house, July 3, 1780, it was "voted to raise the 
sum of thirty thousand pounds to be applied toward pay- 
ing the soldiers, and otherwise discharging such debts as 
may arise on account of the war." 

The following proceedings also recorded of a meet- 
ing held February 26, 1781, for the purpose of raising 
men in response to a call of the Court for same, are but 
illustrating what was frequently occurring until the close 
of the war. After the choice of a moderator, "then the 
orders or Resolves of Court were Read Respecting Raising 
a number of men to Serve in the Continental army for 
three years or During the war with Britton. Voted to 
Chuse a Committee of seven to hire men. Chose Lieut. 
Isachar Andrews, Capt. Israel Heald, Timothy Wilkins, 
James Nickles, Zacheus Green, Ephraim Robbins, and 
Stephen Blood Jun""', then Capt. Israel Heald, and Lieut. 
Isachar Andrews, imbodied the men present at said meet- 
ing and went Round in ord. to Se if any was Spirited to 
Inlist, but none enlisted, when it was voted to adjourn the 
meeting to monday next at 4 of the Clock in the after- 
noon. ' ' 

At the adjourned meeting it was "voted that the 

43 



44 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

selectmen divide the district into six classes, and require 
each class to procure a man to serve in the army." 

Numerous instances appear on the town records where 
money was paid for various items for the benefit of the 
army, such as beef, corn, blankets, various kinds of pro- 
visions and necessities; also in several instances a horse 
was purchased to be sent to the army. The demands were 
frequent, and in the aggregate amounted to quite an 
expense to the district, as well as a heavy drain on the 
men able to perform military duty. 

The following list of names of soldiers who served in 
the Revolutionary War and were credited to the district 
of Carlisle, also the time of service and compensation for 
same, was procured from searching the Revolutionarj^ 
Rolls at the State House and the district records. The 
list is but approximately complete and doubtless would be 
more voluminous did it contain all the names of soldiers 
who served in the war that deserve to be credited to the 
limits of the district. But since more than four years had 
elapsed, succeeding the battle of Lexington and Concord, 
before the second district was incorporated, all soldiers 
from within its limits previous to this date were credited 
to the respective towns from which the territory was sub- 
sequently taken. 



Name 


Time of Service 


Ammint of Pay 


Joel Wheeler 


6 months 


£1155 .. 


Asa Wheeler 


6 months 


1656 .. 


Nathan B. Munroe 


3 months 


900 . . 


Abraham Andrews 


3 months 


248-14S 


Daniel Wheat 


3 months 


1230 . . 


Leonard Green 


3 months 


1410 . . 


Thomas Wood 


3 months 


906 . . 


Timothy Wilkins, Jr. 


3 months 


1325-2 


Joseph Nixon 


3 months 


955-10 


Samuel Proctor 


6 months 


1566 .. 



EARLY MILITARY HISTORY 



45 



Name 


Time of Service 


Amount of Pay 


Patrick Neff 


6 months 


£1375-I6s 


John Crosby 


6 months 


1800 . . 


Paul Lamson 


6 months 


474-15 


Jonathan Heald 


3 months 


792 . . 


Abram Taylor 
James Mackensay 
Mercham Taylor 
Amos Amos 


G months 


1600 . . 


Ebenezer Stone, Jr. 






Thomas Welch 






Matthew Jennerson 






Peter Oliver 






Phillip Boston 
Barrett Blood 






Thaddeus Parhn 






Joseph Butler, Jr. 







At a district meeting held August 18, 1794, it was 
voted "that the minute men have Seven Dollars per 
month in case they Shall be called into actual Service 
while in Service Including the Continental pay and also 
give them three Dollars Bounty within twenty days from 
this time or Sooner if called upon to march and further 
Voted that the minute men who Shall turn out Volun- 
taryly and enlist Shall have the Same pay which the Town 
of Concord have agreed to give their minute men." 

In compliance with this vote an order was drawn on 
the district treasurer August 29, 1794, for £13.10.0, "it 
being the total amount of a bounty at eighteen shillings 
each which the district voted to give in consideration of 
their serving as minute men to the following persons: 
Lieut. Daniel Wheat, Nathan Parlin, Jr., Samuel Hartwell, 
James Kemp, Reuben Durant, Benjamin Robbins, Thomas 
Heald, Asa Hartwell, James Russell, Junr., Simon Wheeler, 



46 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

Nathan Wheeler, Amos Green, Asa Green, Nathaniel 
Parker, Jr., David Walker." 

In the year 1800 a special meeting of the inhabitants 
of the district was called for Tuesday, April 19. The 
fourth article in the warrant was as follows : " To See if the 
District will agree to make provision for their Soldiers 
at the General muster at Concord, or act on the article as 
they may think proper." In regard to this article it was 
"Voted that each Soldier who attends the muster Shall 
have one pound and an half of Beef of Sutable pieces and 
one pound and an half of Bread, one third part of a pound 
of cheese, and one quarter of a pound of powder, and the 
Company one Barrel of old Cider, and three gallons of 
W. I. rum a day, and that the Soldiers who do duty in 
other companies draw as much money as the cost is to 
each Soldier who draws provision. " A committee of three. 
Deacon Ephraim Robbins, Capt. Timothy Adams and 
Nathan Green, Jr., were chosen to provide said articles, 
which they did, as orders subsequently drawn on the treas- 
urer in their favor would go to prove. 

That a military organization existed in the district 
continuously after its incorporation would appear from 
references often made in the proceedings at the district 
meetings. On June 11, 1804, it was "voted that the Dis- 
trict of Carlisle supply the Training Band with Car- 
tridges, and also furnish two flints for each member, to be 
forever kept in store for said Band." Capt. Ezekiel 
Nickles, Lieut. Nathan Heywood and Ensign Abel 
Nickles were appointed a committee to supply the said 
articles and it would seem probable that they were the 
commissioned oflScers of the organization at that time. 

At a town meeting held May 16, 1808, the town 
"Voted to raise Twenty Five Dollars, to be laid out for 
powder, to be expended on Independence Day" and also 
"Voted that the three commissioned oflScers of the Car- 



EARLY MILITARY HISTORY 47 

lisle company be a committee to procm-e said powder." 
This is the first recorded appropriation or expenditure of 
money by the town, for the purpose of celebrating Fourth 
of July. 

A prominent feature in the early history of the dis- 
trict and town of Carlisle is that very many of the male 
citizens had attached to their names some military title, 
which would at least tend to show that military affairs 
claimed a good share of attention. And what would appear 
more probable than that the experience of a seven-years 
war, the first battle of which was fought so near to its 
boundaries that the volleys of the contesting parties 
might have been distinctly heard, as they reverberated 
across its fields, should create a military spirit which it 
would take years to efface.^^ 

In the year 1814 the town voted to purchase guns 
and equipments (said guns and equipments to remain 
the property of the town) for all those persons required to 
perform military duty, and who were unable to equip 
themselves. At the same time it was also voted to procure 
at the expense of the town for the use of the soldiers sixty 
canteens, and a few years later knapsacks were provided 
for what was known as the Carlisle Company. These 
equipments and arms were stored in the hearse-house, 
located at the southeast corner of the Central Burying 
Ground and near the present entrance to the same, in the 
center of the town. 

In the year 1830 and for several subsequent years, it 
was customary for the town to refund the amount of the 
poll tax assessed on those persons who performed all the 
military duty in uniform (which uniform was probably 
provided at their own expense) required of them by the 
laws of the Commonwealth, and each year the treasurer 
was served with a list of persons who would be entitled to 
have said amount refunded, and ordered to pay the same. 



48 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

At a town meeting held September 9, 1851, the town 
voted to accept an invitation from the town of Acton to 
join with them in the dedication of a monument, which at 
that time was being erected to the memory of Capt. Isaac 
Davis and others of Revolutionary fame. The meeting 
also chose a committee of five, Benjamin Barrett, Joel 
Boynton, John Jacobs, True Wiggin and Rev. Seth W. 
Banister, to confer with the Acton committee and make 
the necessary arrangements. Nothing more is recorded of 
this affair, but it would seem probable that the citizens 
of the town participated in the celebration. 

In the year 1853 it appears that military ambition 
was on the wane, and that military drill had been dis- 
continued, for the tenth article in the warrant for the 
annual April meeting of that year was: "To see if the 
town will agree to sell the old guns and other articles 
in the hearse-house belonging to the town." It was voted 
to have the town treasurer sell the same. 

At a town meeting held March 18, 1875, the town was 
called upon to consider and take action in reference to an 
invitation extended by the towns of Concord and Lexing- 
ton, inviting the town of Carlisle to join with them in the 
celebration of the centennial anniversary of the battle 
at Concord and Lexington. The following are extracts 
from resolutions presented by Major Benjamin F. Heald, 
which were accepted and adopted by the meeting, and 
which were virtually later carried into effect by the 
town: 

"Whereas the citizens of the town of Concord, on the 
nineteenth of April next, propose to celebrate in a suitable 
manner the centennial anniversary of the battle at 
Concord, and have invited us to join with them in that 
celebration; and. Whereas many of our ancestry largely 
participated in the events to be commemorated, therefore, 

" Resolved, that we cordially accept the invitation, and 



EARLY MILITARY HISTORY 49 

will attend the celebration as an organized body, with 
music, and an appropriate banner, and that we will invite 
the Spaulding Light Cavalry to act as our escort on the 
occasion." 

A committee of nine were chosen by the town to make 
all necessary arrangements, and included the following- 
named persons: Stephen Taylor, Selar Simons, George 
F. Duren, Nathaniel A. Taylor, Edward S. Hutchins, 
Leonard M. Green, Horace W. Wilson, John W. Heald, 
George P. Nickles. The committee procured the services 
of the Dunstable Cornet Band, who for several years have 
annually mustered at the State encampment at Framing- 
ham with the Spaulding Light Cavalry, and who now, as 
then, turned out mounted on their own horses, and 
furnished music. Their martial appearance of course added 
much to the interest of the occasion. 

An invitation to act as escort for the citizens of the 
town was accepted by the Spaulding Light Cavalry, who 
also turned out with full ranks and as a mounted organi- 
zation. A large banner, painted especially for the occasion, 
representing in life size a soldier in Continental dress, 
was carried by the Carlisle contingent. 

On the whole the town was very creditably repre- 
sented, a large number of her citizens marching in the 
parade under the cavalry escort. 

General Grant, the hero of the Civil War on the side 
of the Union forces, was then President of the United 
States, and graced the occasion by his presence. The day, 
from the standpoint of temperature, was unseasonable, 
being cloudy, chilly and cold. A large concourse of people 
were present, and many developed colds, which in some 
cases proved fatal. 

As the organizations were returning to Carlisle, and 
were within about a quarter of a mile of the village, a dead 
calf was discovered hung high up on a tall pine tree, bearing 



50 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

the inscription: "Dinner for the Centennial Committee." 
While this caused no little merriment to most of those 
witnessing the affair, at least one member of the Com- 
mittee felt extremely incensed ; so much so that by almost 
superhuman effort he at once climbed the tree and with 
his pocket knife cut loose the entire exhibit. 

A bountiful dinner was prepared by the ladies of 
Carlisle, and served to the members of the Spaulding 
Light Cavalry and the Dunstable Cornet Band on their 
return after the day's exercises in Concord. 

The sum of five hundred dollars was voted and 
appropriated by the town to pay the expense of the cele- 
bration. Of this amount the sum of three hundred and 
forty-eight dollars was used by the committee to pay the 
bills. Three delegates from the town, Messrs. Paul G. 
Forbush, Albert Boynton and Benjamin F. Blaisdell, 
were chosen to represent Carlisle at Lexington, and w^ere 
present at the centennial exercises there. 



Chapter VI 
PAUPERS 

The number of paupers cared for by the district in the 
year 1796 was five, and it was voted at the annual district 
meeting "that they be put out in the usual way," which 
was that they be vendued, or auctioned off to the parties 
who would care for them for the least compensation. 
They were put out in this way for periods varying in time 
from three months to a year, according to the vote of the 
district, but usually for a period of six months, and the 
vendue for a number of years took place at the home of 
Mr. Timothy Wilkins, he often being vendue master. 
Annually the district, and subsequently the town, until 
about the year 1830, paid bills for liquor used on these 
vendue occasions. The following order, copied from the 
town records, is a sample of others found there and gives 
a glimpse of the customs as they were then : 

"Carhsle, Feb. 3, 1806. 

"To Mr. Nathan Green, Treasurer: Please pay out 
of the town's money to Mr. Samuel Brown the sum of one 
dollar, it being for his finding six mugs of toddy last April 
when the poor were vendued. 

"By order of the Selectmen. 

"Jonathan Heald, Town Clerk.'''' 

Orders were drawn on the town treasurer from time 
to time, as occasion required, when one and another of 
the town paupers died, for funds in payment for coflSns for 
their burial. These coffins were usually made by some 
resident of the town, and the price charged for years, on 
either side of the year 1800, ranged from one dollar and a 

51 



52 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

half to two dollars and a half each. Such a sum at the 
present day would at least be considered a very modest 
charge for the article named. 

To\^^^J Farm 

As has been previously stated, "letting out" the 
paupers to the best financial advantage, formerly by 
auction, and later by bargain between the selectmen and 
the contracting parties, was the practice of the town until 
about the year 1852. In the warrant for the annual April 
town meeting in the year 1850, the seventh article reads 
as follows: "To see if the town will take any measures to 
purchase a poor-farm, or act thereon." The town voted 
to dismiss the article. This was the first action taken by 
the town regarding the ownership of a home for the accom- 
modation of their poor. 

No more efforts in this direction on the part of the 
town appear to have been put forth until nearly two years 
later, when, at the annual March meeting in the year 
1852, a committee of five persons were chosen to gather 
information and report, at the next April meeting, the 
terms at which farms in the town suitable for a poor farm 
could be purchased. Their report was quite lengthy, 
giving the particulars concerning seven farms which they 
had examined, one of which was a farm in the possession 
of John W. Holland, of Lowell, containing, as stated, one 
hundred and sixty-two acres of land, the price of which 
was two thousand nine hundred dollars, an amount that 
part of the committee considered reasonable. 

This farm, the committee state in their report, was 
the onlj;- one on which they could agree (all things con- 
sidered) to recommend to the town for its favorable con- 
sideration, should the town decide to purchase. In con- 
cluding their report the committee state that the annual 
average cost of supporting the poor for the past twelve 



PAUPERS 53 

years had been $424,873/^. The foregoing report, which 
was given at the April town meeting, was accepted, and a 
committee of three, Messrs. Thomas Green, True Wiggin 
and Jonas Parker, were chosen to purchase for the town 
the Holland farm, and take a deed of the same. 

The committee were instructed to make a report of 
their proceedings at the next town meeting, which they 
did on the eighth of November following, stating that 
they had purchased the George Nickles farm (so called) 
for the sum of two thousand nine hundred dollars, and that 
they had paid down the sum of nine hundred dollars, and 
given their note on demand, to John W. Holland, at six 
per cent interest, for the balance of two thousand dollars. 
The town voted to accept and adopt the report of the 
committee and authorized their treasurer to give the 
town's security for the notes given by the committee and 
also voted to raise the sum of fifteen hundred dollars to be 
used for the purpose of furnishing the farm and supporting 
the poor. 

At a town meeting held November 3, 1868, the town 
voted to authorize the overseers of the poor to procure 
material sufficient to repair the barn at the town farm, 
as they thought necessity required. Very little was done, 
however, until the year 1870, when the barn was enlarged, 
repaired and made nearly new, at an expense to the town 
of $1124.24. 

At a town meeting held November 2, 1880, the town 
voted "that the overseers of the poor be authorized to sell 
the wood on the town farm, and that the amount of sales be 
appropriated toward the town debt." Before the close of 
the fiscal year, which ended March 1, 1881, the overseers 
had sold a certain lot of wood from the farm for which they 
received the sum of two thousand twenty-five dollars, 
which money was appropriated as required by the provi- 
sions of the foregoing vote. 



54 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

Now that the barn on the town farm had been put 
in good repair, and the condition of the house being bad, 
and scarcely suitable for a dwelling, the attention of the 
town was directed toward a change in this particular, 
and at a town meeting held March 21, 1881, the town 
voted to build a new house on the town farm, and at a 
subsequent town meeting held April 23, voted to raise 
and appropriate the sum of fifteen hundred dollars for 
said purpose, and that the money be expended under the 
supervision of the selectmen. 

The contract for putting in the cellar was subse- 
quently given to Mr. Frank S. Bartlett for the sum of 
$225, and for furnishing material and building the house 
Mr. H. W. Wilson was paid the sum of $1975. Extra work 
and various incidentals required in erecting the building, 
added to the above amounts, made the entire cost of the 
building when completed the sum of $2592.32. 



Chapter VII 
SCHOOLS AND SCHOOLHOUSES 

As has been previously noted, the district of Carlisle 
was early divided into six squadrons or districts for school 
purposes, and school sessions were annually held in the 
various districts, although it was some years before there 
were any school buildings. The practice prevailed in 
early days of hiring a room from some resident in each 
district to be used as a schoolroom, the owner receiving 
remuneration from the town. 

In the year 1796, at the annual district meeting, it 
was voted to raise the sum of six hundred dollars for the 
purpose of building schoolhouses; probably a part or all 
of this money was used for the purpose for which it was 
voted. 

The first school committee were elected by the dis- 
trict in the year 1800, when the selectmen were dele- 
gated to this office, their duty being to see that schools 
were maintained in the districts, agreeable to law. 

In the year 1818, at a meeting of the inhabitants of 
the Centre School district, held in the meeting-house 
on the twenty- third day of March, it was "voted to 
erect a schoolhouse in said district." This meeting was 
adjourned to April 13, at which adjourned meeting it 
was "voted to build the schoolhouse on the top of the 
hill south of the meeting-house." Also "voted to build 
with brick, and that the building shall be twenty-one feet 
square, with a porch," after which it was "voted that 
seventy-five dollars, which would be the district's pro- 
portion of the money raised by the town for schooling, 

55 



56 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

be appropriated for the purpose of erecting the building." 
It was further "voted that the district be taxed, in addi- 
tion to said sum, for the amount of two hundred and 
thirty dollars for the above-mentioned purpose." Deacon 
John Green, Nathan Green, Jr., and John Jacobs were 
chosen as a building committee. 

In the year 1828, the inhabitants of the North School 
district voted that the district be assessed for the sum of 
five hundred and fifty dollars for the purpose of building 
a schoolhouse in said district. The contract for erecting 
the building was awarded to Benjamin Barrett, Jr., for 
which he was paid the sum of $553.62. It was thor- 
oughly^ repaired in the year 1869 at an expense to the 
town of $582.52. 

In the year 1837, the number of school districts was 
reduced from six, which had existed up to the last-named 
date, to five. A committee appointed by the town to 
investigate the circumstances and report on the advisa- 
bility of said change, reported in its favor, and included 
in their report the bounds of division of the several dis- 
tricts, which report was accepted and adopted by the 
town. 

In the year 1839, the inhabitants of the East School 
district voted to raise, by tax, the amount of one hun- 
dred and seventy dollars, to build a new schoolhouse in 
said district. This building was destroyed by fire in the 
early part of the year 1869, and was rebuilt during the 
same year at a total expense to the town of $1574.10. 

On December 11, 1839, the inhabitants of the South 
School district voted to raise the sum of seventy dollars 
by tax, to be appropriated toward defraying the expense 
of building a new schoolhouse in their district. 

On May 28, 1840, by vote of the inhabitants of the 
West School district, they agreed to be assessed for the 
sum of one hundred and seventy-five dollars, for the 



SCHOOLS AND SCHOOLHOUSES 57 

purpose of building a new schoolhouse in their district. 
Consequently it appears that within the space of twenty- 
two years, or between the years 1818 and 1840, five new 
schoolhouses were built in the town, or one for each school 
district. This seems to have sufficed until the year 1848, 
when District No. 1, in the center of the town voted to 
raise six hundred dollars by tax, to build a new school- 
house, the lot of land on which it was to be located 
having been given to the town for the purpose by Mr. 
William Green. 

The schoolhouse in the South School district having 
been entirely consumed by fire during the latter part of 
the year 1886, a town meeting was called for January 12, 
1887, at which the town voted "to erect a schoolhouse 
in said district to replace the one recently destroyed by 
fire, at an expense to the town not to exceed the sum of 
eight hundred dollars, including furniture. Messrs. H. 
Prescott, Artemas Taylor and John P. Davis were chosen 
for a building committee, who proceeded with the task 
assigned them, and in due time presented the town with 
the result of their labors, which included the building in 
a finished state, furnished and ready for use, at an expense 
to the town of $805.08, Owing to certain changes in the 
school system, this building was not required for school 
purposes, and was sold by the town in 1891 to Capt. 
H. W. Wilson for the sum of one hundred and sixty dol- 
lars. 

In the year 1892, there began to be a conviction in 
the minds of some of the inhabitants of the town that 
better educational results could be obtained by having a 
graded school located in the center of the town, and 
including a plan for transporting the pupils to and from 
said school, than were being obtained by the prevailing 
district system. In response to this opinion the warrant 
for the annual town meeting, held Monday, March 21, 



58 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

1892, contained two articles relating to the matter as 
follows: "Art. XII. To see if the town is in favor of con- 
solidating the schools. Voted to dismiss the article. 
Art. XIII. To see if the town will furnish suitable accom- 
modations for all the schools at the center of the town, or 
do anything in relation to the same? Voted that a 
committee of three be nominated from the floor, to report 
at a future town meeting on a suitable location, and cost 
of land and school building, with plan of same, suitable 
to accommodate all the scholars of the town." 

The committee were nominated, but nothing seems 
to have been accomplished. The matter, however, was 
not dropped, for from the latter-named date to Febru- 
ary 10, 1908, nine town meetings were called, each war- 
rant containing articles to be voted upon, referring to the 
proposed change in the school system. Seven of these 
were special town meetings, and five were called by peti- 
tion. At three meetings it was voted to build; at four 
meetings committees were chosen; but when it came to 
raising and appropriating funds, the necessary two-thirds 
vote could not be obtained, and there were no results. 

At the annual town meeting, held Monday, March 5, 
1906, on motion of Dexter C. Whittemore, it was "voted 
to raise and appropriate the sum of two hundred dollars 
or such part thereof as may be necessary, to be expended 
by the incoming board of selectmen in digging a well 
on the schoolhouse grounds." This resulted in the sink- 
ing of a well on the schoolhouse grounds at the center of 
the town, at a total cost to the town of two hundred and 
fifty-five dollars. 

In response to a petition of F. H. Billington and 
others, a special town meeting was called for Monday 
evening, February 10, 1908, the business to be considered 
being as follows: "Art. II. To hear the report of the 
committee appointed at the mass meeting of January 20^ 



SCHOOLS AND SCHOOLHOUSES 59 

1908." This committee consisted of Thomas A. Green, 
F. H. Billington and D. L. Chamberhn. Their report 
stated, in substance, that the existing school buildings in 
town did not have the two hundred and fifty cubic feet of 
air space for each pupil that the State law requires, that 
it was impossible with stoves to maintain an even tem- 
perature in the rooms and corridors of seventy degrees, 
as required by law, and to have proper ventilation. The 
cost of remodeling the present school buildings to comply 
with the State law would be two thousand dollars, and 
another building in addition would be required to accom- 
modate the pupils. 

The committee had secured plans and estimates for a 
suitable school building, from a number of architects, and 
four were presented to the meeting, varying in cost from 
eight to nine thousand dollars each. 

"On motion of George R. Duren, voted to accept 
the report of the committee and place it on file; also to 
extend to them a vote of thanks." 

Article III related to finances, and it was moved by 
Thomas A. Green, "that the town raise and appropriate 
the sum of eight thousand dollars for the purpose of pro- 
viding funds for the erection of a new schoolhouse, and 
that the treasurer, with the advice of the selectmen, be 
instructed to borrow the same. That bonds or notes of 
the town be issued therefor, payable at such times as shall 
extinguish the debt within fifteen years, and that one- 
fifteenth of this sum be assessed at the time of the assess- 
ment of the annual tax following this meeting." The 
motion prevailed, the vote being thirty yeas and fifteen 
nays. Article IV related to a committee, and "on motion 
of George R. Duren, voted that Frank H. Billington, 
Daniel L. Chamberlin and Thomas A. Green serve as a 
building committee, with full powers to act for the 
town." 



60 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

The above-named building committee proceeded at 
once to secure bids for the erection of the new building 
that would come within the limits of the appropriation, 
and awarded contracts as follows: stonework, R. Wilson 
Dix; carpenter work, Charles E. Parkhurst; brick work, 
J. Harry Wilkins; paving, James W. Long; plastering, 
Wilfred Lorrain; painting, Ole Linsted; heating, Carroll 
Brothers. The building as completed is nearly square 
in shape, two stories high, has four schoolrooms, and a 
teachers' room over the hallway in the front. In the base- 
ment are children's playrooms, and a heating plant, 
including two furnaces and a boiler. The system of venti- 
lation conforms to the requirements of the State inspectors 
of public buildings, and is supposed to be the best. The 
cost, including plans and supervision by the architect, 
was $8325. The schoolhouse is located on "Schoolhouse 
Hill " near the site of former schoolhouses that had 
served the Center district, and was erected with a great 
degree of celerity, it being ready for use, and occupied 
for school purposes for the first time, during the week 
preceding Christmas in the year 1908 or, in other words, 
during the same year that the committee in charge were 
given authority to build. The townspeople appear to 
appreciate the graded school system thus introduced, 
and the pupils are doubtless profiting by the advantages 
over the old district system. 

At a special town meeting held Monday, November 
16, 1908, on motion of Herbert A. Lee, it was "voted that 
the school committee be authorized to sell the Grammar 
schoolhouse by public auction, and that the proceeds, 
less the cost of sale, be appropriated to pay school 
expenses." This building was originally located in the 
East School district, and there used for school purposes, 
but because of plans subsequently adopted by the School 
Board, its use was not longer required there, and it was 



SCHOOLS AND SCHOOLHOUSES 61 

moved to the Center School lot, and used there for school 
purposes, until the erection of the new graded school 
building. The building was sold for one hundred and 
twenty-five dollars to Fred C. Cook and moved away. 
The lot on which it originally stood in the East School 
district was sold in 1908 to W. C. Duren for twelve dol- 
lars. At the annual town meeting, held Monday, March 
19, 1900, it was voted to sell the schoolhouse in the West 
School district and D. W. Robbins, James E. Taylor and 
E. J. Carr were chosen as a committee for the purpose. 
It was finally sold to Frank E. Wilkins for $27.50. At 
the annual town meeting held on Monday, March 6, 
1916, it was "voted that a committee to consist of the 
incoming board of selectmen be authorized to sell the 
North schoolhouse, with full discretionary powers as to 
the manner of sale." This building was not sold, however, 
but with this exception this seems to mark the final dis- 
position of all the school buildings that composed the 
district school system, and the town pupils are now 
receiving the superior advantages of a graded school at 
the center of the town. 



Chapter VIII 
CENTENNIAL 

The town of Carlisle passed its centennial on Satur- 
day, February 18, 1905. Just one hundred years before, 
Gov. Caleb Strong signed the act of the Massachusetts 
Legislature incorporating the district of Carlisle into a 
town by the name of Carlisle. There was no formal 
anniversary celebration in honor of this occasion, but 
some of the Boston and Lowell newspapers published his- 
torical articles about the town, as w^ell as pictures of some 
of its public buildings and prominent features, including 
the Unitarian Church, the Gleason Library and the 
Soldiers' Monument. 

We wonder just how Carlisle appeared at the time 
it was made a town. We know all the public buildings of 
a hundred years later and the beautiful Soldiers' Monu- 
ment were not there; even the old hearse house, which 
also served as a shelter for the arms and ammunition of 
the military company, as well as for the sixty-five-dollar 
hearse, was not built until five years later. 

If there was a schoolhouse in the Center district it 
was very insignificant and would hardly be recognized as 
such in comparison with the modern building now crown- 
ing "Schoolhouse Hill." 

The records, however, reveal the fact that there was 
a meeting-house, owned and supported by the town, 
where the citizens of the town were supposed to attend 
religious services twice on every Sabbath day; also there 
was a "noon house" near by, where tradition informs us 

62 



CENTENNIAL 63 

the owners provided a liberal supply of wood, cider and 
apples, causing it to be heated on Sabbath days in cold 
weather, and whither they, with their friends, repaired 
to have refreshments and spend the time intervening 
between the morning and afternoon service. There were 
probably two or three stores where crackers and cheese, 
codfish, loaf sugar and a few groceries were sold, but more 
particularly West India rum and molasses. In those 
times a town was not considered to be properly furnished 
without a complement of taverns, where the farmers from 
the back country going to Salem or Boston with their 
ox-teams loaded with grain, pork, beef, poultry, wood 
or lumber, could stop for refreshments and feed. The 
author has been informed by some of the older inhabi- 
tants that there was a time when there were five taverns 
within the limits of the town. 

As regards dwellings, there may have been more in 
number when the act of incorporation was signed than 
there were one hundred years later. There are some 
deserted cellars about the town that indicate a former 
dwelling, and the census shows the population of the 
tovrn to have decreased by more than one hundred inhab- 
itants at the close of its first century. 

These were also the days when the horses, the cattle 
and the swine were allowed to roam the highways and 
parks; they were in reality the lawn mowers and the 
cultivators for that portion of the town at that period. 

No telegraph, telephone or electric light poles and 
wires disfigured the streets and nature was scarcely dis- 
turbed. Candles and sperm oil lamps were the principal 
luminants for the nights indoors. 

The women could don a prim calico or gingham gown 
and enjoy making an afternoon call. The men, if they 
had acquired the habit of using tobacco, were sure they got 
the genuine article. The children, if they happened to 



64 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

play in the streets, were not in danger of being run down 
by an automobile. 

And so we might continue such contrasts, but the 
early Carlisle could not of course compare with the neat, 
modern Carlisle of today, with its good churches, schools 
and library, good roads, and system of telephone and 
electric service which furnish the town with the most 
modern system of communication, and dwelling and street 
lighting. 

Revolutionary Tavern 

Carlisle has a relic within its borders that perhaps 
few of its citizens know of historically, and possibly do 
not appreciate sufficiently. Reference is made to the old 
Revolutionary Tavern, located on what is now known 
as Stearns Street, but which was originally the main 
road to Concord Bridge, the only bridge over the Concord 
River at that date. This building existed when Carlisle 
was formed a district, in 1780, and when the Revolu- 
tionary War was in progress its owner, Nathan Green, 
used it for tavern purposes. 

Among his guests were English officers and soldiers, 
paroled prisoners. They had a good supply of English 
gold, which they enjoyed displaying, much to the amuse- 
ment of the citizens, who at that time were dealing with 
Continental bills of credit, which were very much depre- 
ciated in value. These "red coats" spent much of their 
time gambling, while sitting on the lawn benches about the 
tavern, and thus exchanged their gold. 

The building in size is thirty-three by sixteen feet, 
two stories high, faces the south, has a lean-to on the 
north, and an ell on the west. The architecture, arrange- 
ment and fittings are those of the Revolutionary period. 
There are large beams overhead in the rooms, old-fash- 
ioned thumb-latches on the doors, wide partition boards 



FLAG-STAFFS AND FLAGS 65 

between the rooms, a large brick chimney in the center 
of the house, with large fireplaces in the rooms; the lean-to 
also gives the premises an air of early design. 

The view from the east chamber windows is one of 
great fascination, embracing a vast extent of valley, to 
the Billerica hills beyond, and may well be considered 
worthy a deal of effort to witness. 

A large, symmetrical and stately elm is a dooryard 
decoration for this historic building, which has been sadly 
neglected, and will soon deteriorate very fast. The 
Revolutionary Tavern is probably one of the oldest build- 
ings in this vicinity, and as a worthy relic of early days, 
it should be preserved. . This information concerning the 
tavern was given the author in 1918 by Mr. Charles 
Forbush, in his seventy-eighth year. He received it when 
a boy from Mr. iVsa Green, son of Nathan Green, who was 
the tavern keeper and owner of the premises during the 
Revolutionary period. 

Flag-Staffs and Flags 

Carlisle has had two flag-staffs previous to 1920, 
both having been erected in the same location, near the 
center of the Common. The tree for the main staff for 
each was given by the late William Green, who was a 
resident of the town. Money for defraying the expense 
of erecting the first staff was obtained by subscription, 
solicited by Mr. Nathaniel Hutchinson, in the year 1861, 
who procured in all the sum of $137.50, one hundred dol- 
lars of which was used to erect the staff and purchase a 
top-mast, and the remainder to purchase a flag. 

At the raising of this flag, after the erection of the 
first staff, public exercises were held on the Common, 
A. R. Brown, Esq., of Lowell, being the principal speaker. 

On March 21, 1887, the town voted "to raise and 



66 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

appropriate the sum of one hundred dollars to erect a 
flag-staff in connection with the offer of Mr. William 
Green," and the selectmen were chosen as a committee 
to carry out the provisions of the vote. Of the above 
appropriation the sum of $96.85 was expended during said 
year for labor, top-mast and incidentals. In the year 
1907 the town appropriated one hundred dollars for a new 
top-mast and flag. Of this amount eighty-seven dollars 
was expended, twenty dollars of which was the cost of 
the flag. 

Town Seal 

At a town meeting held Tuesday, November 2, 
1897, the following action was taken: "Art III. To see 
if the town will vote to procure a seal for the town.^*" 
It was "voted to purchase a corporate seal" and the fol- 
lowing committee were appointed by the chair to pur- 
chase the same: George R. Duren, Charles Forbush and 
Warren B. Chamberlin. The imprint of the town seal 
is as follows: "Town of Carlisle, Massachusetts. Incor- 
porated a district April 19, 1754, a town February 18, 
1805." This is the first seal the town ever had. 



Home of Rev. and Mrs. Benson P. Wilkins 

The "old Hodgman house" situated nearly one mile 
from the village, off the Westford road, is one of the 
oldest structures in Carlisle, having been built by John 
Jacobs in 1783. The house was originally much smaller 
than it is now. The first building included the eastern 
portion as far as the east wall of the present front hall; 
the date when the western portion was added is unde- 
termined. The Revolutionary style is apparent both in 
line and decoration, especially so in the dining room 
which contains boxed beams and a perfect specimen of a 




M 



HOME OF REV. AND MRS. BENSON P. WILKINS 67 

circular corner cupboard with fluted pilasters and colonial 
moldings. Three large fireplaces and a brick oven still 
remain in excellent condition. 

John Jacobs brought his bride (Mabel Litchfield) to 
this new house after their marriage in Scituate, Decem- 
ber 15, 1783, and here they remained nearly sixty years, 
during which time Mr. Jacobs served the town as clerk 
for six years and selectman for seven years. He became 
a deacon of the Congregational Church and the custody 
of the church property was handed over to him in 18*27. 

Ten children were born in this home and the son, 
John Jr., remained here after the death of his father 
(June 27, 1841). He also served the town as clerk six 
years, and was representative in 1851 and member of 
the constitutional convention in 1853. He was a mason 
by trade and the wall front of Green Cemetery is a 
monument to his skill. He died October 11, 1876. 

After his death, Abel G. Hodgman, a farmer, became 
the owner of this property. While he and his wife occu- 
pied the house, the older portion of it was remodelled 
by removing two of the original five fireplaces, substi- 
tuting a smaller chimney for the use of stoves. New 
four-pane windows replaced the windows containing 
fifteen small panes in a few of the rooms. Mr. Hodgman 
did some farming, and also did blacksmithing and car- 
riage repairing in a building now entirely gone, which 
stood west of the house, and very near. It was used as a 
cider mill by Mr. Jacobs. 

After Mr. and Mrs. Hodgman both died, Capt. 
H. W. Wilson bought the place in order to secure the 
wood lots. Wood choppers occupied the house at inter- 
vals, but gradually the old house took on a forlorn and 
neglected appearance. The farm degenerated to a pas- 
ture over which the cattle roamed. Eventually the 
house, barn and part of the land was acquired by a Danish 



68 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

couple, Mr. and Mrs. Viggs I. Lassen of Cambridge, 
Mass., who were in search of a suitable place for a small 
chicken farm as well as a healthful spot in which to live. 
They remained here four years, making very few improve- 
ments. 

In the spring of 1916 the place was sold to Rev. and 
Mrs. Benson Perley Wilkins, of Keene Valley, N. Y. 
Extensive improvements were made both outside and 
inside the house and barn and once more "the home lot" 
became something better than a pasture. None of the 
Revolutionary architectural lines were removed from the 
buildings, but arbors and trellises were added, serving to 
beautify them and also provide a support for an abun- 
dance of vines and flowers. The interior of the house was 
entirely renovated, preserving, however, the weathered 
wood, the boxed beams, wide-boarded floors, colonial 
cupboards and brick fireplaces. 

Rev. Mr. Wilkins, whose health improved after com- 
ing to Carlisle, became the minister of the Carlisle Con- 
gregational Church in March, 1919, and after fourteen 
months' service was obliged to resign because of contin- 
ued ill health. Mr. and Mrs. Wilkins and their daughter 
Doris still reside in this fine old house on the hill, whose 
colonial windows have looked out upon a worthy com- 
munity for one hundred and thirty-seven years. 



Chapter IX 

BURYING GROUNDS 

There appears to have been no provision made for 
a public burying ground previous to the year 1784, when 
at a meeting of the inhabitants of the district, held 
April 5, it was "voted that there be one-half acre of 
Land Provided for the use of a burying place including 
the spot of ground that hath been made use of for that 
purpose already." At the same meeting a committee of 
three persons were chosen to confer and settle with 
Mr. Wilkins for said land. 

A little more than three years later two sums of 
money were paid out of the treasury for land purchased 
for a burying place, viz.: to Timothy Wilkins, 3d, the 
sum of ten shillings, and to Timothy Wilkins, Jr., the 
sum of sixteen shillings, which was the proportional part 
due each of the above-named parties who, it would appear, 
were joint owners of the land now known as the Central 
Burying Ground, located in the center of the town, 
and at present seldom used for burial purposes. The 
markers all stand facing the east, and indicate the 
period of slate with the exception of two or three 
marble slabs and one monument. Here rests the body of 
the first minister who was settled in the district, the 
Rev. Paul Litchfield; also the remains of many of the 
first settlers. The inscriptions on many of the stones 
which commemorate their names bear numerous mili- 
tary and ecclesiastical titles. 

That interments were made here previous to its 
being purchased by the district for burial purposes would 

69 



70 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

seem evident from the inscriptions found on some of the 
stones, which date back as far as 1778, and doubtless some 
who still earlier found a resting place here, have no stone 
erected to their memory. 

In later years it became apparent that more room 
would be required for burial purposes, and Rev. Paul 
Litchfield offered the town a piece of land to be used for 
the purpose, in consideration of which the town appointed 
a committee to view the same and report to the town 
their opinion of its adaptability for said purpose. This 
committee made their report in town meeting Novem- 
ber 6, 1826, which was accepted, and the town clerk was 
instructed in behalf of the town "to return the Rev. Mr. 
Litchfield their thanks for his kind offer, although their 
committee could not recommend the land as a suitable 
place for a burying ground." The question of procuring 
additional land continued to be agitated from time to 
time at subsequent town meetings, and several times the 
advisability of purchasing an addition to what was known 
as Green Burying Ground had been considered. The 
Green Burying Ground was a tract of land containing 
about half an acre, located about half a mile southeast 
of the center of the town on the main road to Bedford. 
This land had been set apart and given by Mr. John 
Green, to be used by the Greens exclusively (who repre- 
sented a considerable per cent of the population of the 
town) for the purpose of a burial spot. From time to 
time, however, permission was given others to make 
interments there, until nearly all the available space was 
taken up. The markers here also indicate the era of 
slate, nearly all being slate slabs erected according to 
the early custom of facing the rising sun. 

In the fall of the year 1831 a committee of three 
persons, consisting of Mr. Silas Green, Mr. Thomas 
Heald and Deacon John Green, were chosen by the town 



BURYING GROUNDS '''I 

to purchase a piece of land for the purpose of enlarging 
Green Burial Ground. It is probable that they attended 
to the duties to which the town had delegated them, but 
it was not until the April meeting in the year 1837 that 
the town "voted to pay Mr. Leonard Green the sum ot 
twentv-five dollars for half an acre of land to enlarge 
Green Burial Ground, and cause the same to be enclosed 

bv a fence 

In the year 184-1 the town voted at the May meeting 
to lay out said burial ground in lots, and chose for a 
committee to carry out the provisions of said vote the 
three following-named persons: Capt Thomas Green, 
Deacon John Green and Capt. Ezekiel Nickles. 

In the year 1863 the town purchased ot Capt. 
Thomas Green one acre of land as an addition to the 
Green Burying Ground, which addition increased its 
area to two acres. At a town meeting held April % 1866, 
it was voted to raise and appropriate the sum of one 
hundred and fifty dollars for the purpose of building a 
wall in front of the cemetery. Two years later a commit- 
tee reported having expended for the purpose of build- 
ing said wall, and for a number of stone bounds, the 
sum of $116.73, and also for gates erected at the two 
entrances the sum of eleven dollars. The wall was built 

bv Mr. John Jacobs. . , i, t 

In the year 1870 the town appropriated the sum ot 
one hundred and fifty dollars for the P»>-P°^« ° l'"';: 
chasing and planting ornamental trees and shrubs m and 
around Green Cemetery; and at the annua April town 
feting held the next year a committee of three were 
chosen to have general charge and supermtendence oi 
the burial grounds. This committee comprised Messrs. 
Benjamin Barrett, Prescott Nickles and Selar Si.nons 
chosen for one. two and three years respectively. They 
attended to planting the trees and shrubs before referred 



72 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

to, and may properly be called the first cemetery com- 
mittee appointed by the town. Since that date the cus- 
tom of annually appointing a cemetery committee has 
prevailed. 

Green Summer House 

Near the center of Green Cemetery is located a very 
pretty octagon-shaped summer house of symmetrical 
proportions and about ten feet high. The roof is tin 
covered and a piazza surrounds the entire building. 
Inside are benches built in for seats, and in the center 
of the building is a table bearing a marble tablet, on 
which is inscribed the following: 

"This building erected July 8, 1874, and presented 
to the town of Carlisle by Miss H. L. C. Green. 
"So live with men, as if God's curious eye. 

Did everywhere into thy actions spy; 

Strive to live well, tread in the upright ways, 

And rather count thy actions than thy days." 

At a town meeting held April 5, 1875, the town 
formally accepted the building, and passed resolutions of 
gratitude to be extended to the donor, and also agreed 
to keep the building in good repair and to have it appro- 
priately dedicated. The following is a copy of the letter 
embodying the resolutions authorized by the town, which 
were forwarded to Miss Green: 
"To Miss Hannah L. C. Green, 

Dear Madam: I have the pleasure, as an official of 
the town of Carlisle, of transmitting to you the united 
expression of gratitude and kindly feeling of the citizens 
of said town, as embodied in the following preamble and 
resolutions offered bj^ Major B. F. Heald, in town meet- 
ing, April 5, 1875, and unanimously accepted. 

Whereas, it appears by the report of our cemetery 
committee, just made, that Miss Hannah L. C. Green 



GREEN SUMMER HOUSE 



73 



has at her own expense caused to be erected in Green 
Cemetery an elegant and convenient summer house, and 
that she now offers it as a free gift for the acceptance of 
the town, therefore 

Resolved, that we gratefully accept the magmhcent 
gift of Miss Green; that we will keep it in good repair 
and that in all time we will cherish it as a memento of her 
liberality and public spirit. 

Resolved, that our cemetery committee at such 
time as they deem proper, have said house appropriately 
dedicated, and that they be instructed to engage the 
services of some suitable person to deliver an address 
upon the occasion. 

Resolved, that a copy of the foregoing preamble 
and resolutions, signed by the town clerk, be transmitted 
to Miss Green. 

In conformity to this last resolve, this paper is 
attested and respectfully submitted. 

Austin Marsh, Town Clerk. 

Carlisle, April 24, 1875." 

The dedication took place in the summer ot the 
latter-named year; an assembly of the townspeople were 
present, also the donor, Miss H. L. C. Green. The 
dedicatory address was delivered by Rev. James i. 
Powers, from the piazza of the building, and a mixed 
quartette rendered appropriate vocal selections. 

March 18, 1878, the town voted to establish a public 
watering place at Green Cemetery roadside, for which 
purpose a well was dug about midway of the cemetery, 
and outside the enclosure, and a pump and trough were 
installed. During the year 1880 a concrete walk was 
laid at the west entrance to Green Cemetery at an 
expense of $52.<i5 to the town. 

In the northwest corner is the oldest part ot Green 
Cemetery, and here the earliest interments were made. 



74 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

some of them dating back as far as the year 1785. A 
stone is here erected to the memory of Sarah, wife of 
Asa ParHn, who was at that date clerk of the district; 
also one to the memory of Lieut. Asa Green, bearing 
the date 1785. In near proximity to these is a slate slab 
three and one-half feet tall, bearing the ancient repre- 
sentation of an angel's head and wings at top, and pillars 
on sides, with the following inscription: 

"In memory of Mr. Simon Blood, Jun. 
who died 
Nov. 7, 1793 
in y^ 47th y'. of his age." 
"His generous donations to public uses do honor to 
his memory and will preserve his name to posterity. 
"Naked as from the earth we came 

And crept to life at first. 
We to the earth return again 
And mingle with our dust." 
This quotation marks the resting-place of one who 
served the district in its infancy in the various capacities 
of schoolteacher, town treasurer for two years, selectman 
for ten years, having been a member of the first Board 
chosen by the district, and holding the office at the date 
of his decease. He was one of the first and largest donors 
to the interests of the district. His name deserves to be 
perpetuated and his grave, in the absence of relatives, 
should be kept green by a posterity who are enjoying the 
benefits of his liberality. 

In the southwest section, near the hearse house, are 
interred the remains of her to whom the town is indebted 
for the donation which called into existence the Soldiers' 
Monument, erected in the center of the town. The 
lot is enclosed with a granite curbing, and a granite 
monument marks the spot, the inscription reading as 
follows : 



n^ 



GREEN SUMMER HOUSE 75 

"Lydia A. G. 

wife of William Farrar 

died Sept. 27, 1881 

Aged 70 years, 9 mo., 12 days." 

Near the center of the cemetery, and back of the 
summer house located on Main Avenue, is a double 
marble tablet erected "To the memory of Abel Taylor, 
Jr. and wife." His death occurred December 16, 1887, 
"aged 82 years 7 mo. 13 days." His wife preceded him 
by a few years. His munificence, shown by the legacy left 
by will to the Union Calvinistic Society, will always be 
remembered with gratitude by those who worship with 
this society, of which both he and his wife were mem- 
bers at the time of their decease. The tablet bears the 
motto: "We part to meet again." 

The remains of but two clergymen rest in the town, 
those of the first minister. Rev. Paul Litchfield, interred 
in the Central Burying Ground; while in Green Cemetery 
a granite tablet marks the place where rest the remains 
of one who served as pastor at the Unitarian Church for 
upward of eight years; the inscription on the tablet reads 
as follows: 

"In memory of 
Rev. James T. Powers 
1828 — 1888 
The joys of those with God in heaven can never end." 

At the annual town meeting held on Monday, March 
15, 1897, the warrant contained the following article: 
"Art. II. To see if the town will vote to buy or take 
land of Thomas A. Green, for the enlargement of Green 
Cemetary or act anything thereon." It was "Voted to 
instruct the selectmen to purchase land of Thomas A. 
Green, for the enlargement of Green Cemetery for four 
hundred dollars, within three months." 

The provisions of this vote were consummated; the 



76 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

area of the purchase was four acres which, added to that 
already occupied would make the entire area of Green 
Cemetery six acres at this date (1920). 

Heald Memorial 
There are two entrances to Green Cemetery from 
the highway, which extends along its northern boundary. 
The more easterly of these entrances is the one most 
frequently used, especially for teams and motor vehicles. 
In using this entrance we pass through the archway of 
Heald Memorial, a very substantial and symmetrical 
granite structure erected by a native son of Carlisle in 
honor of his parents. On the street side of the arch are 
the appropriate words "Green Cemetery," while on the 
west pillar of the arch, on the cemetery side, is a bronze 
tablet bearing the following inscription: 
"Heald Memorial 
erected in respect to 
Major Benjamin F. Heald 
and his wife 
Susan (Kimball) Heald 
of this town 
by their son, Benjamin F. Heald, 2d 
A. D. 1914" 
The erection of this memorial was certainly a very 
worthy deed, in respect of worthy parents; and the 
ornamental feature is appreciated by the town, who also 
appreciate a suitable memorial of those who were num- 
bered among its worthy, useful and respected citizens. 

Richardson Mausoleum 

Continuing in a straight southerly course by the 

avenue, after entering Green Cemetery by the Heald 

Memorial, one comes to the Richardson Mausoleum or 

receiving tomb on the left. The warrant for the annual 



WILSON MEMORIAL CHAPEL 77 

town meeting held on Monday, March 17, 1902, contained 
the following article: 

"Art. XVII. To see if the town will vote to accept 
a mausoleum to be built in Green Cemetery, as a memo- 
rial gift from JNIrs. Serlina Green Richardson, of Chelms- 
ford, Mass." The vote of the town was to accept. Mrs. 
Richardson, a cousin of Mrs. Lydia A. G. Farrar and 
Miss Hannah L. C. Green, each of whom had been a bless- 
ing to the town by liberal benefactions, was a native of 
Carlisle, where she spent her youthful days and early mar- 
ried life, before moving to Chelmsford with her husband. 
The mausoleum is a substantial granite structure 
twelve by fifteen feet, with shingle roof. The entrance 
is at the west end, over which are the figures, 1902, indi- 
cating the year in which it was erected. On the north 
side of the entrance is the following inscription: 
"A Memorial Gift 
to the 
Town of Carlisle 
from 
Mrs. Serlina G. Richardson 
Chelmsford, Mass." 
On the south side of the entrance is the inscription: 
"Serlina G. Richardson, 

Died Nov. 12, 1914 

Aged 87 years 8 months 

and 22 days." 

Wilson Memorial Chapel 
Turning to the right at the Richardson Mausoleum, 
and through an avenue to the center of the cemetery, 
one arrives at the Wilson Memorial Chapel, regarding 
which the author copies from the town records as follows: 
"Thursday, May 30, 1907, Memorial Day, Wilson 
Chapel in Green Cemetery, the gift of Capt. H. W. Wil- 



78 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

son, was presented to the town of Carlisle, and dedicated 
for the free use of all of whatever creed or nationality. 
The dedicatory address and presentation was by Rev. 
F. H. Billington, pastor of the Unitarian Church. Daniel 
W. Robbins, chairman of the selectmen, accepted the 
gift for the town." 

Wilson Chapel is a brick one-story structure, with 
slate roof, opening to the north and has adjoining it a 
wooden arch, over the driveway, resting on granite 
pillars. Captain Wilson gave the chapel to the town in 
memory of his father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Horace N. 
W^ilson. East of the front entrance, on a bronze plate 
is the following inscription: 

"Wilson Memorial Chapel 
Presented to the town of Carlisle 
by Capt. H. W. Wilson 
1907." 
The building is located south of the summer house 
and east of the hearse house, near the center of the ceme- 
tery. In the chapel are forty-two folding seats, an imi- 
tation pipe organ given by the Carlisle Guild of the 
Unitarian Church; a large oak chair upholstered in red 
plush, and an oak desk. The six windows are all of 
stained glass, and a large chandelier, with twenty-four 
lights, hangs from the ceiling. 

On the wall of the auditorium is a portrait of Captain 
Wilson, bearing a silver plate inscribed, 
"Capt. H. W. Wilson, 
The Donor of this Chapel." 
and a portrait bearing the following inscription: 
"Waldo D. Wilson, 
age six years. 
Who turned the first earth for the construction of the 
Wilson Memorial Chapel 
Sept. 26, 1906." 




PS 

;^ 

o 

hi 
w 

0-1 

< 
< 

I— I 

o 



WILSON MEMORIAL CHAPEL 79 

Hanging near is the spade used on the occasion, 
properly inscribed. There is a convenient basement under 
the entire building. 

The program at the dedication of the chapel was as 
follows: Scripture Reading; Prayer; Singing, "Angel of 
Peace," by a quartet, with organ accompaniment by 
F. E. Robbins; Dedicatory Address and Presentation by 
Rev. F. H. Billington. In accepting the keys Mr. D. W. 
Robbins, chairman of the selectmen, voiced the sincere 
and heartfelt thanks of the town for the munificent gift 
of Captain Wilson. The audience joined in singing 
"America," and the exercises closed with the benedic- 
tion. 

Captain Wilson's grave is near the summer house, 
and in front of the Wilson Chapel, the spot being marked 
by a pink Westerly granite monument. Green Cemetery 
is very beautiful, is systematically planned, and regularly 
laid out; it has nearly all the accessories of an up-to-date 
necropolis, and that practically without expense to the 
town. 



Chapter X 
BRIDGES 

The act incorporating the second district of Car- 
lisle made it incumbent on the district to pay one-sixth 
part of the charges that might arise from the maintenance 
of the North Bridge over the Concord River in Concord, 
until such time as the inhabitants of the district should 
themselves build a bridge over said river. Several sums 
of money were raised by the district for this purpose 
from time to time and paid usually to the inhabitants of 
the district for doing the work required. 

An extract from an order served on the district 
treasurer by the selectmen, pertaining to the case in 
question, reads as follows: 

"Carlisle, Jan. 3, 1789. 
To Mr. Jonathan Blood, Treasurer. 

Sir: Please to pay out of the Districts money to 
Mr. Simon Blood, Jun^, the following Sums. viz. one 
pound thirteen Shillings and Sixpence it being for four- 
teen gallons and three quarts of Rum provided for those 
that worked at the north Bridge in Concord, also pay to 
him the Sum of thirteen Shillings, it being for five Days 
work done at Said Bridge." 

On Thursday, the ninth day of December, 1790, at 
a meeting of the inhabitants of the district the following 
was the second article which appeared in the warrant: 
"To See if the District will agree to build a Bridge over 
Concord River between Carlisle and Bedford or any 
part thereof, or do any thing for the encouragement of 
a publick Road through Carlisle and Bedford or act on 

80 



BRIDGES 81 

the article as they may think proper." In response to 
this article a committee of five inhabitants of the district 
were chosen, first, to determine as to the necessity of 
building said bridge; second, should they think it advis- 
able to build to determine the most proper place; third, 
they were to confer with the inhabitants of Bedford 
respecting the matter; and finally to see how much they 
could get by subscription toward building said bridge. 

This was the beginning of a question that agitated 
the minds of the inhabitants of the district for upward 
of four years and which resulted in the establishment of a 
public highway from Carlisle to Bedford, and the build- 
ing of the first bridge over the Concord River between 
the two towns. The bridge appears to have been com- 
pleted for service in the year 1795, but appropriations 
for the purpose of repairing the causeway and for replank- 
ing the bridge are subsequently of frequent occurrence. 

At a district meeting called for May 26, 1791, it 
was "Voted to prepare a Road from the Meeting House 
to the River and build an abutment on this side at the 
place agreed to by the Committee, if Bedford will pre- 
pare a Road to the River and build an abutment on the 
other side." At a subsequent meeting held October 3, 
1791, by adjournment from September 5, it was voted to 
dismiss the former committee, and that the district take 
the subscription and build a bridge over the river if the 
town of Bedford will conform to the requirements of the 
vote previously passed. The selectmen were chosen a 
committee to petition the town of Bedford, to lay out a 
road to the river and build the abutment on their side. 

Later it was "Voted to petition the Court of General 
Sessions of the Peace for a Committee to View the neces- 
sity of a Road from Carlisle to Bedford Meeting House," 
and the selectmen were delegated a committee to accom- 
pany them and also to build the bridge. Several sums 



82 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

of money were voted for the purpose, the largest of which 
was one hundred pounds, voted March 3, 1794, which 
was to be appropriated for the purpose of building one- 
half the bridge over the river, also the causeway on the 
Carlisle side, and to pay land damages occasioned by the 
road. The money raised by the district for this purpose 
was paid out by the treasurer to the laborers, most of 
whom were residents of the district. 

The following is the copy of an order drawn on one 
of the constables, from the money appropriated for the 
purpose and is shown, not because it is a sample of very 
many others, but in order to show the contrast of customs 
prevailing then and now. 

"Carlisle, February the 18, 1795. 
To Mr. John Jacobs, Constable of the District of 
Carlisle. 

Sir: Please to pay out of the districts money which 
you are ordered to collect, to Defray the expense of build- 
ing a Bridge over the River to Mr. John Green the Sum 
of Seven pounds two Shillings and four pence for Rum 
and Sugar used at the Bridge when building the Same, 
and this Shall Discharge you for that Sum. 

£7. 2. 4, 
By order of the Selectmen. 

Asa Parlin, District Cler.'' 
A district meeting was called for August 29, 1803, 
and the sixth article in the warrant read as follows: 
"To See if the District will agree to raise a sum of money 
to raise the Causeway on the river meadow near the 
Bridge etc." On consideration of the article it was 
"Voted to raise the Sum of one Hundred Dollars for the 
purpose of filling up the Causeway on the river meadow, 
and that the Causeway be vendued the 5th Day of 
September at 4 o'clock, and that the selectmen be a com- 
mittee for that pm'pose and to provide drink." 



BRIDGES 83 

It seems to have been the common practice for the 
selectmen to provide intoxicating drinks on public occa- 
sions similar to the above; also when the poor were ven- 
dued, when meeting with committees from other towns, 
or from the legislature, and also when public work like 
the building or repairing of a bridge, underpinning the 
meeting-house, and on similar occasions, before and for 
several decades subsequent to the latter-named date. 

At the annual district meeting held March 7, 1803, 
it was "voted that the selectmen serve gratis the ensuing 
year." A question might arise in the minds of people of 
the present generation whether it might not be the less 
expensive method to pay a reasonable price for labor 
actually performed, rather than as compensation to pro- 
vide drink for town officers and their associates on all 
public occasions. 

These instances, however, serve their purpose in 
giving us a glimpse of times as they were; and deplorable 
indeed would be the situation if w^e could not perceive 
that with the flight of time, progress has been made. 

At a town meeting held January 14, 1822, twenty- 
seven years after the building of the first bridge over the 
Concord River between Carlisle and Bedford, the town 
"voted to rebuild their part of the river bridge the 
approaching summer" and chose as a committee for said 
purpose, Messrs. Benjamin Barrett, Paul Furbush and 
Capt. Stephen Blood. This committee was subsequently 
increased by vote of the town May 6, by four more names : 
Messrs. Samuel Adams, Thomas Heald, John Heald and 
Isaiah Green. Thus constituted the committee now 
included seven members. 

The town clerk was instructed to notify the select- 
men of Bedford of the action taken by the town in rela- 
tion to their part of the bridge, which it was voted to 
construct twenty feet wide and on mud sills, the timber, 



84 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

with the exception of the mud sills and plank, to be white 
oak. 

At the April town meeting the town voted to raise 
the sum of five hundred dollars for the purpose of defray- 
ing the expense of rebuilding. A part of this money was 
also paid out for rum and sugar for the laborers and 
committee. 

At a town meeting held April 4, 1870, the town 
"voted to raise the sun of six hundred dollars, to be 
expended by the selectmen, for the purpose of repairing 
the river bridge, and making it safe for travel"; and also 
"voted that the repairs be made at the earliest practical 
moment." Of the above appropriation the sum of $230.42 
was expended, but it would seem, however, that the 
bridge was not now considered safe, for at a town meet- 
ing held November 7, 1871, the town chose a committee 
of three, Messrs. Humphrey Prescott, Nathaniel A. 
Taylor and Benjamin Barrett, who were instructed "to 
keep the river bridge in safe condition for public travel; 
and to rebuild it whenever in their judgment it may be 
necessary to do so." 

The work of rebuilding was performed in the year 
1872, the expense of which was met by an appropriation 
by the town of twenty-five hundred dollars. The entire 
expense of rebuilding one-half of the bridge, that being 
the portion for which Carlisle was responsible, was 
$2327.48. This bridge differed from those previously 
constructed, being built upon driven spile, instead of 
upon mud sills. The town of Bedford did not at this 
time rebuild their portion of the bridge. 

At a town meeting held Tuesday, November 8, 
1892, the following article was considered: "Art. II. To 
see if the town will build a new bridge or repair the old 
one crossing the Concord River, between Bedford and 
Carlisle, or do any thing in relation to the same, and if 



BRIDGES 



85 



SO, to raise and appropriate money therefor." It was 
"Voted to choose a committee of three from the floor 
to investigate the bridge, with an expert if need be; and 
to report at some future meeting, subject to the call of 
the committee." Oilman Nickles, Charles Forbush and 
Herbert A. Page, were the committee chosen by the 
town, who reported at a town meeting held Saturday, 
December 10, 1892, in effect, that the old bridge might 
be temporarily repaired to make it safe for the winter. 
It was voted "that the selectmen repair the bridge 
immediately, so as to make it safe for the winter, and that 
it be paid for out of the general expense." In the year 
1893 a new iron bridge was erected over the Carlisle half 
of the Concord River, the expense for which was borne 
by the county. 



Chapter XI 
CIVIL WAR 

The first action taken by the town in its corporate 
capacity in matters relating to the War of the RebelHon 
was at a town meeting assembled on May 11, 1861, when 
it was "voted to allow and pay each person passed to the 
credit of the town, who already has, or may hereafter 
enlist, and be mustered into the service of the United 
States not exceeding ten in nmnber, the sum of nine 
dollars per month in addition to the amount allowed by 
the Government, compensation to commence from the 
date of their being mustered into the service, and con- 
tinue for a term not exceeding one year." A committee 
of five chosen by the town were as follows: Benjamin F. 
Heald, Artemas Parker, Selar Simons, Thomas Green and 
Benjamin P. Hutchins, who were authorized to draw on 
the treasurer, and disburse the money necessary to carry 
out the provisions of the foregoing vote. 

July 21, 1862, a special town meeting was called. 
The warrant contained but one article, which was "To 
see what inducements the town will hold out to obtain 
the town's quota of men required by the late call of the 
Government, otherwise than by drafting." The town 
"voted to raise the sum of nine hundred dollars, and to 
pay each volunteer, not exceeding nine in number, who 
shall enlist for three years, the sum of one hundred dol- 
lars each, when mustered into the United States service." 
Rev. Josiah Bal!ard, Artemas Parker, Selar Simons, 
Samuel H. Bobbins and Humphrey Prescott, were chosen 
a committee to canvas the town for volunteers. 

86 



CIVIL WAR 87 

August 27, 1862, the town "voted to pay the same 
amount of bounty to nine months volunteers for the pur- 
pose of encouraging enhstments," and Asa Nickles, 
Charles T. Worthley and William A. Ingham were chosen 
as an enlistment committee. September 8, 1862, it was 
"Voted to pay those persons credited on the quota of 
the town, and now in the service, who have not received 
any bounty from the town, the sum of One Hundred 
Dollars each," and it was also "Voted to pay an equal 
sum as bounty to any citizen of the town, who would 
enlist to the credit of the town, and help to fill the pres- 
ent call for nine months men." October 6, 1862, the 
bounty for nine months' men was increased to one hun- 
dred and fifty dollars, and Edward S. Hutchins, William 
A. Ingham and Charles T. Worthley were chosen a com- 
mittee to raise recruits. 

March 2, 1863, the town raised the sum of one thou- 
sand dollars for the purpose of aiding the families of 
volunteers, and the following month the selectmen were 
authorized to pay the families of deceased or disabled 
volunteers such sums as they might believe their neces- 
sities to require, but not to exceed six dollars a month 
to any one family. 

April 4, 1864, the town "voted to raise one thousand 
dollars as aid for families of volunteers, and also the sum 
of one hundred and twenty-five dollars for each volun- 
teer or drafted man to the number of six, which was the 
remaining part of the quota for said town under an order 
of the President issued after March 1, 1864." 

Another call for men was issued by the President 
July 18, 1864. The town called a meeting of its citizens 
the third of the following August, when it was "Voted 
to raise and appropriate the sum of one hundred and 
twenty-five dollars, to be given to each man who would 
enlist, and thus help to fill the town's quota." 



88 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

On the fifteenth of the same month, because of the 
great disparity of paper money, the town voted to pay 
said bounty of one hundred and twenty-five dollars in gold. 

January 12, 1865, the town "Voted that the select- 
men be authorized to enlist as many men into the service 
of the United States as may be required to fill the town's 
quota, on any call that may be made prior to March 1, 
1865." Also the town treasurer was authorized to borrow 
such sums of money as were required to pay for same. 

It is to the credit of Carlisle that she furnished a 
surplus of men over and above all demands made by the 
Government. None, however, were commissioned officers. 
Three were drafted in the year 1863, Joseph Forbush, 
James T. Powers and Timothy Wilkins, each of whom 
furnished a substitute. Thirteen either died or were 
killed during their term of enlistment. 

The following is a list of soldiers who were residents 
of the town, and helped to fill the town's quota in the 
War of the Rebellion, 1861-65, with date of muster, 
organization to which they were attached, and date of 
discharge from service. 

Adams, Albion A. Mustered Aug. 15, 1862, 1st Co. 
Sharpshooters; discharged Feb. 13, 1863; mustered Dec. 
30, 1864, Co. A, 1st Bat. Frontier Cavalry; discharged 
June 30, 1865. 

Adams, John Q. Mustered Aug. 15, 1862, 1st Co. 
Sharpshooters; killed Sept. 17, 1862, at Antietam, Md. 

Blood, John N. Mustered July 2, 1861, Co. C, 
16th Regt.; discharged May 3, 1864. 

Blood, William. Mustered June 28, 1861, Co. C, 
16th Regt., killed at 2d battle Bull Run, Aug. 29, 1862. 

Blood, William H. Mustered Oct. 16, 1862, Co. G, 
47th Regt., discharged Sept. 1, 1863. 

Champney, John H. Mustered March 24, 1862, 1st 
Co. Sharpshooters; discharged Jan. 26, 1864. 



CIVIL WAR 89 

Cumber, George. Mustered Aug. 5, 1862, Co. G, 
33d Regt.; discharged Aug. 26, 1864. 

Currier, Edwin C. Mustered Nov. 1, 1861, Co. B, 
32d Regt.; discharged May 14, 1863. 

Duren, Frederick. Mustered Jan. 27, 1863, Co. E, 
2d Cavalry; discharged July 20, 1865. 

Duren, Thomas. Mustered Aug. 11, 1862, Co. H, 
33d Regt.; died at Madison, Indiana, May 16, 1864. 

Button, Myranda. Mustered July 31, 1862, Co. H, 
33d Regt.; killed at Dallas, Georgia, May 25, 1864. 

Esty, John M. Mustered July 31, 1862, Co. H, 
33d Regt.; died in hospital at Chattanooga, Tenn., 
Aug. 5, 1864. 

Forbush, Charles. Mustered Oct. 16, 1862, Co. G, 
47th Regt.; discharged Sept. 1, 1863. 

Gilson, Albert A. Mustered Aug. 5, 1862, Co. E, 
33d Regt.; discharged June 11, 1865. 

Green, John P. Mustered Aug. 7, 1862, Co. H, 
33d Regt.; discharged June 11, 1865. Corporal. 

Heald, Alfred. Mustered Nov. 4, 1861, Co. B, 32d 
Regt.; transferred to V. R. C; discharged Dec. 11, 1864. 

Heald, Austin M. Mustered Aug. 15, 1862, 1st Co. 
Sharpshooters; died at Falmouth, Va., Jan. 30, 1863. 

Heald, Timothy W. Mustered March 24, 1862, 1st 
Co. Sharpshooters; discharged Oct. 31, 1862. 

Heald, Warren F. Mustered Feb. 3, 1864; rejected 
recruit. 

Hodgmaji, Amos H. Mustered Nov. 4, 1861, Co. 
B, 32d Regt.; discharged Jan. 6, 1863. 

Hodgman, Luther F. Mustered Sept. 17, 1861, Co. 
E, 26th Regt.; discharged Oct. 24, 1862. 

Hutchins, Edward S. Mustered Oct. 16, 1862, Co. 
G, 47th Regt.; discharged Sept. 1, 1863. 

Hutchins, Freeman. Mustered Sept. 17, 1861, 
Co. E, 26th Regt.; discharged Aug. 26, 1864. 



90 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

Hutchins, Samuel M. Mustered July 11, 1863, 
Co. H, 12th Regt. and was transferred to V. R. C; 
discharged Feb. 15, 1865. 

Hutchins, Thomas J. Mustered Aug. 5, 186*2, Co. 
E, 33d Regt.; killed in action at Lookout Valley, Tenn., 
Oct. 29, 1863. 

Howe, John. Mustered Nov. 4, 1861, Co. B, 32d 
Regt.; discharged Feb. 18, 1863. 

Ingham, William A. Mustered Oct. 16, 1862, Co. G, 
47th Regt.; discharged Sept. 1, 1863; 2d enlistment July 
15, 1864, Co. G, 6th Regt.; discharged Oct. 27, 1864. 

Litchfield, Albert. Mustered July 12, 1861, Co. B, 
15th Regt.; discharged Oct. 12, 1862. 

Litchfield, George M. Mustered July 2, 1861, Co. 
C, 16th Regt.; discharged July 27, 1864. 

Litchfield, James J. Mustered Oct. 9, 1861, Co. E, 
26th Regt.; discharged Oct. 24, 1862. 

Litchfield, William F. Mustered July 2, 1861, Co. 
C, 16th Regt.; discharged July 27, 1864. 

Locke, Warren P. Mustered Nov. 28, 1861, Co. B, 
32d Regt.; killed at Bethesda Church, Va., June 3, 1864. 

Maybury, Orrin. Mustered July 2, 1861, Co. C, 
16th Regt.; re-enhsted Dec. 26, 1863 in Co. C, 16th 
Regt., transferred July 11, 1864 to Co. E, 11th Regt.; 
discharged July 14, 1865. 

Monroe, George V. Mustered Oct. 15, 1862, Co. G, 
47th Regt.; died of fever at Carrolton, La., Aug. 9, 1863. 

Monroe, William H. Mustered Oct. 16, 1862, Co. 
G, 47th Regt.; discharged July 3, 1863. 

Moore, William. Mustered March 7, 1862, 1st Co. 
Sharpshooters; died at Fort McHenry, N.Y., Sept. 9, 1862. 

Nickles, Abel. Mustered Dec. 22, 1863, Co. K, 
2d Heavy Artillery; discharged Sept. 3, 1865. 

Nickles, Charles E. Mustered Oct. 16, 1862, Co. 
G, 47th Regt.; discharged Sept. 2, 1863. 



CIVIL WAR ^^ 

Nickles, George P. Mustered Nov. 4, 1861, Co. B, 
32d Refft.; discharged Nov. 27, 1864. 

Nickles, Otis. Mustered Jan. 4, 1864, 7th Battery, 
L. A.; died at Barracks Hospital, New Orleans, La., 

Julv 16, 1864. ^^ ^ ^ 

Norcross, George E. Mustered July 2, 1861, Co. C, 
16thRegt.;discharged July 27, 1864. ^ ^^.^ r. 

Northum, WiUiam H. Mustered Aug. 7, 1862, Co. 
H, 33d Regt.; discharged June 11, 1865. 

Osgood, Isaac P. Mustered Nov. 4, 1861, Co. B, 
32d Regt.; discharged Dec. 14, 1863. ^^ ^^^. ^ p 
Parker, Sidnev A. Mustered July lo, 1864, Co. G, 
6thRegt.;dischargedOct 27, 1864 

Prescott, John H. I\Iustered Nov. 4, 1861, Co. B 
32d Regt. ; discharged Feb. 9, 1863 Corporal. Mustered 
July 15, 1864, Co. G, 6th Regt.; discharged Oct. 27 1864. 
Prc^ctor, Josiah K. Mustered Dec. 22, 1863, Co. K, 
2d Heavy Artillery; discharged Sept 3, I860. 

Robbins, Charles H. Mustered Oct. 16, 1862, Co. 
G, 47th Regt.; discharged Sept. 1, 1863. 

Robbins, Daniel W. Mustered July 2, 1861 Co. C, 
16th Regt.; re-enlisted Dec. 27, 1863; transferred to Co. 

E, nth Regt.; discharged July 14, IS^f- 1st Sergeant^ 

Stevenson, Thomas G. Mustered May 1, 1861 Co. 
G 5th Regt.; discharged June 8, 1861.; mustered July 2, 
1861, Co. C, 16th Regt.; discharged Dec. f^J^fl' 

Webster, Benjamin H. Mustered Oct. lb, 1862, Co. 
G, 47th Regt.; discharged Sept. 1, 1863. 

Wiggin, Francis M. Mustered Feb. lo, 1862, Co. 

F, 13th Regt., U. S. A.; died at Memphis, Tenn., Oct. 16, 

^^^^Viggin, George W. Mustered Aug. 31, 1862, Co. 

G, 6th Regt.; discharged June 3 1863. 

Wilkins, Jr., James W. Mustered Sept. 6, 1861, 
Co. B, 32d Regt.; discharged Nov. 27, 1864. 



92 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

Wortliley, Charles T. Mustered Oct. 16, 1862, Co. 
G, 47th Regt.; discharged Sept. 1, 1863. 

Worthley, Hiram P. Mustered Oct. 16, 1862, Co. 
G, 47th Regt.; discharged Sept. 1, 1863. 

The following soldiers, residence unknown, were 
enlisted to the credit of Carlisle. The first seven on the 
list were hired by the town: 

Beissert, Herman 

Elbin, Levi 

Henderson, Benjamin 

Kuntz, Joseph A. 

Lyons, Martin 

Murphy, John 

Ritz, Jacob F. 

Anderson, John 

Anthon, Joseph 

Bixby, Moses M. 

Breen, Thomas 

Brown, William H., Corporal 

Penderson, Simeon B. 

Hill, Franklin I. 

Jackson, Peter 

Jessler, Gottlieb 

Kennedy, Richard 

Mahoney, John 

McKagney, James 

Means, William N. 

Mongovern, John 

Morril, Reuben S. 

O'Neal, John 

Riley, Cornelius J. 

Toolon, Peter 

Vining, John 

Woodruff, Aaron 



CIVIL WAR 



93 



The following naval enlistments were credited to 
Carlisle as their apportionment, under an act of Congress 
passed July 4, 1864: 

Ridler, Samuel F. 

Riley, Cornelius J. 

Rogers, Charles A. 

Roseten, Thomas 

Scott, James 

Sheely, David 

The following native or resident citizens served in 
the Civil War and were credited to other places: 

Carter, George W. Mustered Sept. 19, 1862, Co. K, 
50th Regt. on the quota of Georgetown, Mass.; discharged 
Aug. 24, 1863; mustered Jan. 2, 1865, Co. C, 1st Battalion, 
Frontier Cavalry, on quota of North Adams, Mass, ; dis- 
charged June 30, 1865. 

Carlton, John. Commissioned Second Lieutenant 
Oct. 8, 1861, in the 20th Regt. Mass. Infantry, promoted 
to First Lieutenant June 1, 1862; discharged Dec. 6, 1862. 

Day, Elijah N. Mustered Aug. 31, 1862, Co. K, 
6th Regt.; discharged June 3, 1863; mustered March 31, 

1864, Co. D, 4th Mass. Cavalry; died July 14, 1865. 
Credited to Chelmsford. 

Hood, Gilbert A. Mustered April 11, 1862, Co. C, 
32d Regt. ; discharged Nov. 23, 1862. Credited to Lowell . 

Hull, Richmond N. Three years in an Illinois Battery. 

Keniston, Henry. Mustered Dec. 23, 1863, 15th 
Battery Light Artillery; discharged Aug. 4, 1865. Cred- 
ited to Lowell. 

Litchfield, George T. Mustered Dec. 30, 1864, Co. 
B, 1st Battalion Frontier Cavalry; discharged June 30, 

1865. Credited to West Cambridge. 

Marsh, Palmer A. Mustered Aug. 20, 1864, Co. H, 
4th Heavy Artillery; discharged June 17, 1865. Credited 
to Fitchburg. 



94 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

Nickles, Stephen. Mustered Jan. 21, 1864, 7th 
Mass. Battery Light Artillery; discharged Nov. 10, 1865. 
Credited to Needham. 

Robbins, Henry C. Surgeon with rank of Major, 
served in 101st Illinois Regt. for three years. 

Robbins, John. Mustered Aug. 31, 1861, member 
of Band of the 17th Mass. Regt. Infantry; discharged 
July 11, 1862. Credited to Lowell. 

Stone, Reuben E. Mustered Dec. 23, 1863, 15th 
Mass. Battery Light Artillery; discharged Aug. 4, 1865. 
Credited to Lowell. 

Wilkins, Ambrose. Mustered Dec. 26, 1863, 7th 
Battery Light Artillery; discharged Nov. 10, 1865; died 
at New Orleans, La., Nov. 26, 1865. Credited to 
Fitchburg. 

Wilkins, C. Ingraham. Bugler in United States 
service from state of New York. 

Wilkins, Varnum. Mustered Sept. 6, 1861, Co. D, 
26th Regt. Infantry; discharged Sept. 22, 1862. Cred- 
ited to Billerica. 

In tabulating the above records it is found Carlisle 
had on her quota in the Civil War fifty-five soldiers who 
were residents of the town; or nearly one for every ten 
of her population, including men, women and children; 
and that thirty-three additional enlistments were passed 
to her credit, making eighty-eight in all, as the complete 
number of her quota, or more than one for every seven 
of her population. If we include the fifteen native or 
resident citizens enlisted to the credit of other places, 
we find that Carlisle had a representation of one hundred 
and three soldiers in the war, or one for every six of her 
population. 




SOLDIERS' MONUMENT ON THE COMMON 



Chapter XII 
SOLDIERS' MONUMENT 

The erection and dedication of a monument com- 
memorating the accomplishments of the Civil War, as 
well as the deeds of valor of those who helped to prosecute 
it, and especially the names of some who made the 
supreme sacrifice, which resulted in finally eradicating 
one of the greatest evils which could exist in any nation, 
is an attainment for which Carlisle may justly feel a 
sense of pride and satisfaction. 

Carlisle was fortunate in having among her citizens 
people of a liberal disposition, who found pleasure in 
promoting worthy objects, and were real philanthropists; 
and in this case, as in many others, Carlisle was not 
taxed in its corporate capacity for the ornamental struc- 
ture now decorating Monument Square. 

The circumstance which led to the erection of this 
monument was a bequest which, with accumulations, 
amounted to the sum of $653.70, donated the town by 
the late Mrs. Lydia A. G. Farrar. At a town meetmg 
held March 20, 1882, the town voted "that the town 
treasurer be authorized to receive the legacy and hold the 
same until further action by the town." 

At a town meeting held November 7, 1882, the town 
voted "that the money given the town by the will of 
the late Mrs. Lydia A. G. Farrar be appropriated for the 
purpose of erecting a soldiers' monument in the center 
of the town on or near the spot where the guide-post 
now stands," and also chose Messrs. Thomas A. Green, 
Sidney A. Bull and Edward S. Hutchins as a committee 

95 



96 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

to carry out the provisions of said vote. At a subsequent 
town meeting, held March 19, 1883, the town voted to 
raise and appropriate the sum of three hundred dollars, 
to be expended under the direction of the former-named 
committee for the purpose of putting in a foundation for 
the monument and for fencing and grading the grounds. 

A stone and cement foundation was laid by Messrs. 
Edward S. Hutchins and Marshall Mason on May 21, 
1383, and nearly one hundred loads of loam were used to 
complete the grading. The committees chosen to erect 
the monument, believing the amount of money at their 
disposal too small for the purpose of furnishing a monu- 
ment sufficiently ornamental that would prove accept- 
able to the town, suggested that an invitation be extend ed 
to Miss Hannah L. C. Green, a sister of the late Mrs. 
Farrar, to add enough to the amount of her sister's bequest 
to increase it to the sum of one thousand dollars, which 
suggestion was favorably entertained, and the money in 
due time was paid over to the committee; consequently 
they had at their disposal one thousand dollars to be 
expended for a monument, and proceeded to correspond 
with various contractors, requesting designs and specifi- 
cations for monuments that could be furnished for that 

sum. 

Several contractors responded to the requests of the 
committee, affording them a good variety of designs to 
select from. Their decision was, however, decidedly in 
favor of a design furnished by Andrews & Wheeler, of 
Lowell, which specified a granite pedestal, surmounted 
by a marble statue, or to describe more minutely the 
completed monument, included a triple receding base of 
Concord granite five feet two inches square on the 
foundation, resting on which is a polished die of Rock- 
port granite, on the east side of which is the inscription: 
*'Died in their country's service," followed by the names 



soldiers' monument 97 

of thirteen soldiers from the town who lost their lives 
during their term of enlistment, which list is completed 
on the north side. The southerly face bears the following 
appropriate sentiment : 

"To the roll-call they make no response. 
Carlisle honors their deeds of valor 
And dedicates this monument 
To perpetuate their names to posterity." 

On the back or westerly side is inscribed: 

"Presented to the town of Carlisle by Mrs. Lydia 
A. G. Farrar, and Miss Hannah L. C. Green. 
Dedicated August 29, 1885." 

The die is surmounted by a fine statue of Italian 
marble, wrought in Italy, seven and one-half feet tall, 
weighing three thousand pounds, and representing the 
"Goddess of Liberty". On the base of the statue at 
the front side is the motto: "Let him who has won it 
bear the palm," and on the back or westerly side are 
inscribed the dates " 1861 — 1865." 

The entire height of the monument from foundation 
to tip is fifteen and one-half feet. The statue was placed 
in position December 7, 1883, which date marked the 
completion of the monument as far as the contractors 
were liable. The monument grounds were enclosed by a 
fence of granite posts, connected by galvanized iron 
rails. A concrete walk was laid extending from the 
entrance on the north to the entrance on the south side 
of the grounds, passing in front of the monument, and 
the work of the committee was completed at an expense 
to the town of a few dollars more than the appropriation. 

At a town meeting held Monday, March 16, 1885, 
the town appropriated the sum of two hundred dollars 



98 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

for the purpose of dedicating the Soldiers' Monument, 
and chose a committee of three, Daniel W. Robbins, 
Edward J. Carr and Sidney A. Bull, whom they author- 
ized to attend to the duties of having the monument 
dedicated with appropriate ceremonies. The com- 
mittee attended to their duties, and after due delibera- 
tion decided on August 29 as an appropriate day for the 
dedicatory exercises, since that was the anniversary of 
the second Bull Run battle, in which one of those whose 
names appear on the monument was killed in action. 

The committee spared no pains to make the affair 
the most elaborate of any event in the annals of the town 
and were satisfied with the result. The weather was 
ideal, for a beautiful August day could not but add some- 
what to the attraction of the occasion; and it was esti- 
mated that a thousand or more people were in atten- 
dance. 

The following were the officers and members of com- 
mittees for dedication: President of the day, Daniel W. 
Robbins. Chief Marshal, Charles Forbush. Aids: E. A. 
Blanchard, T. M. Hammond, G. W. Page and B. F. Day. 
Decoration Committee: Thomas A. Green, Frank Wilkins, 
George Nickles and Mrs. Mary A. Green, Mrs. Susan M. 
Bull, Mrs. Lizzie L. Robbins and Mrs. Luella M. Bull. 
Reception Committee: Major B. F. Heald, Lieut. H. W. 
Wilson and James E. Taylor. 

The residents of the village exerted themselves to 
improve its appearance in every way possible, and it 
looked on dedication day as though it had been thoroughly 
swept and dusted. The monument grounds were put in 
the best possible condition, and the monument was 
tastefully decorated with flowers, evergreen and the 
national colors. 

Nearly every house in the village located on the line 
of march was, by invitation previously extended by the 



soldiers' monument 09 

dedication committee, prettily decorated with flags, 
streamers and bunting. The dedication exercises began 
at one o'clock with a parade, of which the following is the 
order of procession: 

Chief Marshal and Aids 

Dunstable Cornet Band 

Troop F Cavalry, dismounted 

President of the day, chaplain, orators and invited guests 

in carriages 
Concord, Mass., G. A, R. Post 
Veterans on foot 
Citizens on foot 
Citizens in carriages 
The procession formed on the Common, and imme- 
diately proceeded on the following route of march: From 
the Common to Boston Road, on the right of the monu- 
ment to the home of George F. Duren; countermarch, 
passing monmiient on the right to Lowell Road; right 
turn, thence on Lowell Road beyond the home of William 
Green; countermarch to the monument; thence on West- 
ford Road beyond the home of Daniel W. Robbins; left- 
wheel through short street to Concord Road; right turn 
on Concord Road beyond the home of George P. Nickles ; 
countermarch, passing the home of G. W. Page and 
M. Lee, to the Common. During the time the procession 
was moving, minute-guns were fired from a cannon on 
the Common, under the direction of Nathaniel Hutchin- 
son. 

At the close of the parade the assembly gathered 
under a large canvas tent, which had been procured by 
the committee for the occasion and erected on the Com- 
mon. Here the following exercises took place: 

1. Invocation, by Rev. George F. Piper. 

2. Solo and Chorus, "Tenting Tonight." 

3. Selection bj^ band. 



100 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

4. Presentation of Monument to the town, by Sidney A. 

Bull. I 

5. Reception of Monument for the town, by John Q. A. v 

Green. • 

6. Selection by band. p 

7. Oration by Hon. Charles H. Allen. '^^ 

8. Solo and Chorus, "Marching through Georgia." | 

Veterans joining in chorus. 

9. Remarks by invited guests. 
10. DedicationOde, by Sidney A. Bull. Tune "America." 

All joining. 

"With grateful hearts we come. 
And sing of brave deeds done 
By those who fell 
Full twenty years ago, 
In conflict with the foe. 
They helped to deal the blow 
That saved our land. 

They heard the call to arms. 

Left home with all its charms — • 

A noble band, — 

And marched to beat of drum. 

With armor girded on, 

To face 'neath Southern sun, 

A martialed foe. 

The camp, the march, the fray. 
The charge, the victory. 
The comrades slain! 
And scarce it seems a day. 
Time speeds so swift away, 
Since were the blue and gray 
In war engaged. 



soldiers' monument 101 

Their deeds of valor done, 

The victory fully won, 

The sword laid down, 

Yon marble statue shall 

To future ages tell 

Of those who nobly fell — 

Our honored dead." 
The presentation address by Sidney A. Bull is given 
in full. 

"The monument which we are about to dedicate 
today has connected with its erection a few facts which 
I will give for your information. First, the nucleus from 
which yonder structure sprang originated in a legacy, 
something over six hundred dollars, left the town in 
September, 1881, by the late Mrs. Lydia A. G. Farrar, 
a life-long resident of the town. 

No particular object toward which this money 
should be applied was designated by the donor. Conse- 
quently it devolved upon the town to appropriate it for 
such purposes as it deemed wise, and by a unanimous 
vote at a town meeting November 7, 1882, it was 
decided, much to the credit of the town, to appropriate 
the money for the purpose of erecting a soldiers' monu- 
ment in the center of the town, on the spot where it now 
stands. At the same meeting a committee of three, 
Thomas A. Green, Sidney A. Bull and Edward S. Hutch- 
ins, were chosen to carry out the provisions of the former 
vote. 

The committee entered upon their duties feeling 
not a little the responsibilities resting upon them, and 
having at the same time a desire to please which, with 
the amount of money at their disposal, might well be 
presumed to be a difficult task. It was just at this time 
that a sister of the former-named donor, the benevolent 
Miss Hannah L. C. Green, whom we are happy to have 



102 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

with US today, stepped forward and agreed to increase the 
amount to one thousand dollars, the entire cost of the 
monument as you see it today. 

Plans and specifications were received from several 
granite and marble-workers, most of which deserve 
favorable mention, but in making a choice the committee 
were decidedly in favor of the design furnished by Andrews 
& Wheeler of Lowell, to whom they awarded the contract 
and who, upon the completion of their task, produced a 
work of art which was fully up to our most sanguine 
expectations. The base was placed in position Thurs- 
day, July 12, 1883, and on November 20 of the same 
year the die, properly inscribed with names of soldiers 
who died in the service, with regiment and company, also 
appropriate mottoes and names of donors, found its final 
resting-place. 

The statue, representing the Goddess of Liberty, 
was wrought in Italy from fine Italian marble and sur- 
mounts the die, having been placed in its permanent 
position December 7, 1883, and this latter date marks 
the completion of the work of the contractors. A durable 
fence, made from hammered stone posts, connected by 
galvanized iron rails, was subsequently built to enclose 
the monument grounds, at a cost to the town of three 
hundred dollars. 

At the annual town meeting held March 16, 1885, 
it was voted that a committee of three be appointed to 
have charge of the grounds around the monument, and 
that they be authorized to have said monument dedicated 
with appropriate ceremonies. The committee chosen for 
the purpose were Daniel W. Robbins, Sidney A. Bull and 
Edward J. Carr. At the same meeting the sum of two 
hundred dollars was raised and appropriated to meet the 
expenses of dedication. 

The progress of your committee was somewhat 



soldiers' MONUIVIENT 103 

retarded by a slight illegality about the vote, which was 
later legalized by an Act of the Legislature. Your com- 
mittee finally decided on Saturday, August 29, 1885, as 
an appropriate day for the dedicatory exercises on account 
of its being the anniversary of the second Bull Run 
battle, in which one whose name appears on the monu- 
ment was killed in action. 

To the present generation this monument will be 
a constant reminder of sacrifices, of doubts, of dangers 
and glorious victory; and to the surviving soldiers who 
took part in the great conflict it will be a memento of 
their hardships, of deadly battles, of lost comrades, and 
of splendid achievements; and it is with a peculiar pride 
and pleasure that I stand here today to deliver over to 
the town of Carlisle, through you, sir, her honored repre- 
sentative, this monument, which in obedience to her 
instructions your committee has procured, and which it 
now asks you to accept." 

The address of acceptance was made by John Q. A. 
Green, chairman of the selectmen, as follows: 

"In behalf of the town of Carlisle and the sisters 
whose names are here inscribed, and whose patriotism 
and generosity have caused the erection of this monu- 
ment, I receive from the committee this completion of 
its duties. I accept this monument, and let us all accept 
it in trust for future generations. Let it stand as an 
enduring pledge, that the devotion and deaths com- 
memorated on this stone have not been in vain. 

Upon this monument stands our Goddess of Liberty, 
with upraised hand, pointing upward, let us hope, to 
clear and peaceful skies, never to be overshadowed by 
dark clouds of war until the calling of the last great roll, 
to which these departed heroes will respond." 

The orator of the occasion was Col. Charles H. Allen, 
of Lowell, who gave a patriotic and thoughtful address, 



104 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

closing in these words: "This monument, with its names, 
will call to the mind of the passer-by once more the story 
of our national valor, and to you here at home the names, 
ever fresh, will be associated with honor and fame. You 
remember the story of the first grenadier of France, who 
so bravely defended the fortress alone against a band of 
Austrians, and whose bravery gave rise to a very re- 
markable and touching custom. When the companies 
assembled for parade and roll call there was one name to 
which its owner could not answer — it was that of La 
Tour d'Avergne. When it was called, the oldest sergeant 
present stepped a pace forward, and touching his cap, 
said proudly, "Died on the field of honor." So you, 
citizens of Carlisle, whenever in the hush of evening, 
your thoughts turn to the memory of those who went 
out from among you, never to return again, with j^our 
eyes fixed upon this monument, may there come to you 
the tender thought, 'Died on the field of honor.' 

The singing was under the direction of William Bar- 
rett of Concord. The banquet committee were William 
Prescott, Frank Wilkins, Josiah Hodgman, Thomas A. 
Green, Mrs. Anna Lee, Mrs. Emma L. Forbush, Mrs. 
Susan Hutchinson, Mrs. Emma J. Green, Misses Flossie 
Wilkins, Carrie Lee and Laura West. 

At the close of the exercises the assembly were 
invited to partake of a collation, prepared under the di- 
rection of the banquet committee, and which for variety 
of dishes and elegance of arrangement was par excellence. 
Invited organizations, and guests of the town were ten- 
dered the preference at the tables, after which the towns- 
people were served. The committee, after paying the 
bills incident to the celebration, had left in the town 
treasury the sum of $4.07 unexpended, the entire cost 
to the town of dedicating the monument being $195.93. 



Chapter XIII 

FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY 

It was in the year 1870 that the Rev. Moses Patten 
and family came to Carlisle, he having accepted the 
pastorate of the local Congregational Church. At that 
time there was no free public library in the town, and his 
wife, Mrs. Lydia S. Patten, realizing the educational 
benefits to be derived from the possession of a public 
library, immediately set about starting one by soliciting 
private subscriptions of money and books. Before long 
she had succeeded in getting subscriptions for one hun- 
dred and sixty-four dollars and secured quite a formidable 
collection of books; and by her own personal efforts, in 
serving as librarian without compensation put the vol- 
umes in circulation. This was the beginning. Now 
that the library was in running order, comfortably housed 
and centrally located in a room rented for the purpose, 
for which the annual rental of twenty dollars was paid 
(which sum was raised principally by entertainments 
gotten up especially for the purpose), the proposition 
was conceived of presenting it to the town. Acceptance 
of the library by the town would place it in a position to 
be perpetually cared for, increased, and otherwise made 
useful. The result of the proposition was an article 
inserted in the warrant for the annual town meeting held 
March 18, 1872, which read as follows: "To see if the 
town will appropriate money to aid in the establishment 
of a town library." 

The town voted to raise and appropriate the sum ot 
one hundred and forty dollars for the establishment of a 

105 



106 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

town library, and also that a committee of five persons, 
consisting of three males and two females, be chosen, 
whose duty it should be to have the general supervision 
of said library. Thus March IS, 1872, may properly be 
considered as the date when the Carlisle Free Public 
Library was established. The committee chosen by the 
town, who were the first to serve in this capacity, were: 
Mrs. Lydia S. Patten to serve five years, Joseph F. Carr 
for four years, Miss Hattie Hutchinson for three years, 
N. A. Taylor for two years, and Dr. Austin Marsh to 
serve one year. 

It is probable that the town would in time have 
become the possessor of a town library, but without ques- 
tion efforts of Mrs. Patten, whom the town is proud to 
name as its founder, succeeded in its establishment at 
this particular period. She removed from the town in 
the year 1876, and has since passed to her final reward. 
Her works do follow her, and are a perpetual reminder 
of her to the inhabitants of the town. 

The accession of literature has been yearly increased 
since the first inception of the library, the result of appro- 
priations by the town and the gifts of friends. By vote 
of the town the refunded dog tax is appropriated as a 
permanent fund to help replenish the library shelves 
and for its support. 

In the year 1890 the author prepared a brief history 
of Carlisle for Lewis's History of Middlesex County 
and in reference to the Carlisle Library wrote in sub- 
stance its history as given here, with the following as the 
closing paragraph: "The Library has no permanent 
abiding place, but yearly a room is hired by the trustees 
for its accommodation. An opportunity presents itself 
for some liberal-minded person to act the part of the 
philanthropist and present the town with a library 
building, an act which would be appreciated by all future 




MRS. LYDIA S. PATTEN 



GLEASON LIBRARY 107 

generations as well as proving a constant reminder of the 
liberality of the donor." While the author had no reason 
to expect the suggestion would so soon develop into a 
reality, yet within four years the town was tendered 
funds sufficient to erect a beautiful library building, and 
in less than six years from the above date, it was dedi- 
cated for the required purpose. 

Gleason Library 

The introduction of the conditions relative to the 
gift and erection of the new library building are set forth 
in a letter of which the following is a copy. 

"Sudbury, Mass., September 7, 1894. 
To T. A. Green, Esq. 

Dear Sir: As I am desirous of doing something that 
will be of lasting benefit to the inhabitants of the town of 
Carlisle, which is my native town and the home of my 
early days, and also the life-long home of my parents, 
I will propose to present to them the sum of six thousand 
dollars ($6000) with which to erect a brick building for 
a free public library. I will also give them two hundred 
dollars ($^00) for the furnishing of the reading room and 
for any other purpose for which it may be needed about 
the building. I will name Messrs. T. A. Green, Daniel 
Robbins and J. Q. A. Green as a committee to take charge 
and have oversight of the work. I ask the town to find 
the land and the foundation for the building, and I will 
give them one hundred dollars toward the stone under- 
pinning of the building. If you can t^ke the trouble to 
attend to this afl'air, I shall be greatly obliged to you. 
Very respectfully yours, 

Joanna Gleason." 

The preceding letter resulted in the following pro- 
ceedings by inhabitants of Carlisle. 



108 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

"To the Honorable Board of Selectmen of the Town 
of Carlisle, Gentlemen: 

We the undersigned, legal voters of said town, 
earnestly petition your honorable Board, to call at your 
earliest convenience a special town meeting for the pur- 
pose of bringing before the legal voters of said town a 
proposition made by Mrs. Joanna Gleason, of Sudbury, 
to wit: The gift of six thousand dollars for a free public 
library building, the town to furnish land and put in a 
foundation suitable for a brick building, and do all 
grading about the same. Also a gift of two hundred 
dollars for the furnishing of said library, and your peti- 
tioners will ever pray. ..." This petition was signed by 
Daniel W. Robbins and sixty-one other legal voters of 
the town. In response to the above petition a special 
town meeting was called to meet in Union Hall, Monday, 
September 17, 1894. The warrant contained two articles 
in addition to the choice of moderator. "Art. II. To see 
if the town will accept a gift of six thousand dollars from 
Mrs. Joanna Gleason, of Sudbury, for the erection of a 
public library building, or act thereon. 

Art. III. To see if the town will choose a committee 
to act in accordance with Mrs. Joanna Gleason's proposal 
and plans, or act thereon." 

Action was taken as follows on Art. II: Voted to 
accept the gift of Mrs. Joanna Gleason on the terms 
which she has so liberally designated, and that the same 
may be received by the town treasurer immediately, if 
it should be her pleasure to deposit the same with him, 
for the erection of said library building and for the fur- 
nishing thereof. On Art. Ill it was voted that Daniel W. 
Robbins, John Q. A. Green and Thomas A. Green, be a 
committee with full power to purchase or take land for 
a site for said building. 

The site selected by the committee is located a few 



GLEASON LIBRARY 109 

rods east of Monument Square, on the south side of 
Boston Road, in the center of the town, a location orig- 
inally an eyesore because of rocks and a pond of stagnant 
water, but now, after a certain amount of filling and 
labor, one of the beauty spots of the town. The location 
was purchased in the year 1894 from Mr. Nathaniel 
Hutchinson for the sum of five hundred dollars, and the 
town later expended on the grounds for labor, loam and 
gravel the sum of $2256.44. 

At a town meeting held Tuesday, November 6, 
1894, it was voted under Article 3 in the warrant that 
the town raise and appropriate seventy-five dollars 
annually for the care and maintenance of the public 
library. This appears to have been the last corporate 
action taken by the town until the annual town meeting 
held Monday, March 16, 1896, when under Article 12 
in the warrant it was "voted that Rev. Lyman Mevis, 
Charles Forbush and Edward J. Carr be a committee to 
dedicate the Gleason Free Public Library; and that two 
hundred dollars be raised and appropriated for the 
same." 

During this interval the work of preparing the 
grounds and constructing the building had been steadily 
progressing, and in due time the following printed invi- 
tation was distributed, in connection with a printed card 
program: "The town of Carlisle cordially invites you to 
be its guest at the dedication of the Gleason Library 
Building, at Carlisle, Mass., on Wednesday, May 13, 
at two P.M. The Reception Committee will be in attend- 
ance at the Library Building from ten to twelve o'clock. 
In behalf of the Dedication Committee, Lyman Mevis, 
Chairman." 

The four-page card program had a well- executed 
picture of the Library building on the second page, and 
otherwise was printed as follows: 



110 history of carlisle 

Dedicatory Exercises 

OF THE 

Gleason Library Building. 
Unitarian Church, Carlisle, Mass. 
Wednesday, May 13, 1896. 

at 2 P.M. 

Program 
Overture, "Orpheus" OJfenbach 



Invocation 
Address of Welcome 
Presentation of Building 
Acceptance . . 
Scripture Selection 
Cornet Solo " Arbucklenian' 



Rev. Edwin Smith 

. Rev. Lyman Mevis 

Charles H. Walcott, Esq. 

. By Selectmen 

. Rev. Martin F. Mevis 

Hermann 



Miss Ella Morse 
Dedicatory Address . Samuel S. Green, Worcester 

Grand Selection from " Faust" .... Gounod 

Address Rev. Minot Osgood Simons 

Address Rev. George A. Tewksbury 

Address Hon. George A. Marden 

Medley Overture, "Sublime" .... Barnard 

(With solos for all instruments) 
Addresses . . Rev. Loren B. Macdonald and others 

"America" All singing 

Benediction Rev. E. C. Abbot 

The fourth page of the card program bore the names 
of the various committees as follows: Building Commit- 
tee, T. A. Green, D. W. Robbins, John Q. A. Green; 
President of the Day, Rev. E. C. Abbott; Commitee on 
Dedication, Rev. Lyman Mevis, Charles Forbush, 
Edward J. Carr; Reception Commirtee, Capt. and 
Mrs. H. W. Wilson, Mr. and Mrs. T. A. Green, Mr. and 
Mrs. D. W. Robbins, Mr. and Mrs. W. B. Chamberhn, 
Mr. and Mrs. I. B. Hall; Committee on Refreshments, 
Mrs. E. J. Carr, Mrs. H. W. Wilson, Mrs. Lyman Mevis. 




MRS. JOANNA PARKER GLEASON 



GLEASON LIBRARY 111 

Music was furnished by the American Orchestra of 
Lowell, assisted by Miss Ella Morse, of Lowell, Cornetist. 

A feature not on the program was the reading of a 
sketch of the earlier days of the library, mentioning 
especially the indefatigable labors of its founder, Mrs. 
Lydia S. Patten, by Mrs. Edward Reynolds, of Carlisle. 
The committee on dedication in due season sent a formal 
invitation to Mrs. Gleason inviting her to be present at 
the dedicatory exercises of the Gleason Library. The 
following is a copy of her reply: 

"Sudbury, Mass., May 6, 1896. 

To Messrs. Rev. Mr. Mevis, Mr. Forbush and Mr. 
Carr, Committee. 

Gentlemen: I am in receipt of your invitation to be 
present at the dedication of the Gleason Library at 
Carlisle on the thirteenth instant, and in reply to the 
same can only express my deep regret that the condition 
of my health will preclude the possibility of my personal 
attendance on that occasion. But that my thoughts and 
my hopes will be with you, you may be well assured, 
for in the completion of the building, and in its formal 
dedication to the purposes for which it was designed 
I see the fruition of a hope which I had long cherished, 
to do something for the benefit of the town in which I 
was born, and where my earlier years were spent, and for 
which I have never ceased to feel a daughter's affection. 

Perhaps it would be better to say that I see the 
beginning of such fruition, for I cannot doubt that, as 
the years go on, the people of my native town will take 
an ever increasing interest in their library, and give to 
its maintenance and increase a hearty and generous 
support. 

In the confident assurance that such will be the 
case, I am contented, and glad that the name I bear 
should be inscribed in enduring letters upon the front of 



112 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

the building that is to be for all coming time, the best 
monument to the memory of my husband and myself. 

Thanking you for the courtesy you have shown me, 
I remain, gentlemen. 

Yours very sincerely, 

Joanna Gleason." 

Wednesday, May 13, 1896, was perfect as far as 
weather was concerned. To quote from a reported 
article, "It could not have been improved had it been 
made to order." The library building was open from 
ten to twelve o'clock for inspection, under the direction of 
the reception committee, and fifty or more names of 
non-residents were recorded on the register during that 
time. At twelve o'clock the people at the library lined up 
and marched up the hill to the Unitarian Church, where 
dinner was served in the lower hall, while the orchestra 
entertained with the popular music of the day. The 
pretty girls of the town served as waitresses and dis- 
tributed a bountiful and toothsome repast. At two 
o'clock the dedicatory exercises were held in the audi- 
torium of the church, which had been prettily decorated 
with flowers for the occasion, under the direction of 
Mr. Thomas A. Green. Among the floral contributions 
used were several hundred carnations, contributed by 
Mr. Jeremiah Long of Holliston, a native of the town. 

The dedicatory address was made by Librarian 
Samuel S. Green of Worcester, who was also a member of 
the State Library Commission. There were four or five 
other addresses by prominent and able speakers. Did 
space permit, a verbatim reproduction of each address 
would be interesting reading. The few gems of thought 
culled from the various addresses seemed peculiarly 
appropriate to the occasion: 

"The gift of our library is all the more noble because 
it came from the living, and not the dead." 



GLEASON LIBRARY 113 

"There are two ways of getting knowledge of the 
men of the world and of obtaining the ideas of mankind 
that are to be helpful to us. We may travel and see the 
world and its beauties. We may go to the universities 
and sit in the presence of master-minds and be impressed 
with their personality and the power of their ideas." 

"The interest of the library depends not so much 
upon the number of books, as upon the character of the 
books." 

"We are coming to value things by their capacity 
to elevate character. Whatever can do this is precious; 
whatever cannot is worthless. By this test the worth 
of this institution is infinite." 

"Sir John Herschel said, 'If I were to pray for a 
taste which should stand me under every variety of 
circumstances, and be a source of happiness and cheer- 
fulness to me through life, and a shield against its ills, 
however things might go amiss and the world frown upon 
me, it would be a taste for reading. Give a man this 
taste, and the means of gratifying it, and you can hardly 
fail of making him happy. You make him a denizen of 
all nations, a contemporary of all ages.' " 

" 'Wondrous indeed' said Carlyle the man, 'is the 
virtue of a good book.' The lesson of Mrs. Gleason's 
gift is, if you have anything to give away do it while you 
are alive." 

"There is no privilege, no distinction, that can 
come to a town that begins to equal that of a well-selected 
library, open and free to all its citizens." 

"I had rather live in a town where there is a good 
library, than in the most famous community on the face 
of the earth where that library is wanting." 

"If a gold mine had been discovered in your village, it 
could not increase the essential wealth of the town more 
than this, or make it a more desirable place to live in." 



114 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

It is worthy of note that two women, one a resident 
and the other a native of the town, are responsible for 
the Carhsle Free PubHc Library. The conception was by 
Mrs. Lydia S. Patten, who was the originator and founder; 
and Mrs. Joanna Gleason, by her munificent gift of land 
and building, may well be known as its sustainer, friend 
and maintainer. Carlisle appreciates their accomplish- 
ments, and recognizes that she owes them a debt of 
gratitude. 

The library building occupies a central location in 
the village, on a lot with a frontage of one hundred and 
ninety feet, and a depth of two hundred and ten feet. 
The structure is in the center of the lot and is seventy- 
five feet from the street. It was designed by George G, 
Adams of Lawrence, and the architecture is of the modern 
Romanesque style. 

The building has a frontage of fifty-seven feet on 
the street, and is thirty-five feet deep. The exterior is 
of pressed brick, with granite and terra cotta trimmings, 
and slated roof. The entrance is from the northeast 
through a large arch and vestibule to the stairway hall; 
here access is had to the waiting and delivery room, 
which is thirteen and one-half by twenty-two and one- 
half feet. In the rear of the delivery room is the book 
room, of equal dimensions, and divided from it by an 
arch and counter. In this room are book shelves sufficient 
to accommodate four thousand volumes. 

At the west end of the building is the reading room, 
fifteen by twenty-two feet; this room is connected with 
the delivery and book room by two large arches, between 
which is a large open fireplace and mantel of molded 
bricks and terra cotta. To the south of the stairway 
hall is a room for the librarian and trustees. 

The basement contains a selectmen's room, fifteen 
by twenty-two feet, with fireproof vault eight by eight 



GLEASON LIBRARY 115 

feet, also fuel and furnace room, toilet and storage rooms. 
The lot slopes to the rear so that the basement rooms 
show a full story above ground. On the second floor of 
the building is a room thirty-two by twenty-two and 
one-half feet, suitable for historical exhibits, lectures, 
etc. The vestibule floor is mosaic tile and all the interior 
is finished and paneled in natural woods. Upon the 
front appears the inscription, "Gleason Library, A.D. 
'95." 

The contract for construction was awarded to D. W 
Fitch of Billerica. Daniel W. Robbins of Carlisle did 
the mason work, and James W. Long put in the founda- 
tion walls. The entire cost of the Gleason Library includ- 
ing land was $9413.19; total amount of Gleason Fund 
was $7825.40; excess paid by the town was $1587.79; 
amount spent on Library grounds for labor, loam, gravel, 
trees and pump $2256.44; entire cost in excess of the 
Gleason Fund, $3844.23 

The report of the trustees for the Gleason Library 
for the year ending March 1, 1897, which was their first 
report after the library building was dedicated, shows 
the receipts to have been $156.16; expenditures $150.09; 
unexpended $6.07; whole number of books March 1, 
1897, 1421; circulation of books during eight months 
1081; average per month 1353^. 

The first person to serve the town as librarian in 
the Gleason liibrary was Mrs. Mary A. Green, and the 
trustees making this first report were as follows: W. A. 
Prescott, Chairman; B. F. Blaisdell, Jr.; Mary A. Green, 
Secretary. 

On the walls of the delivery room in addition to 
other pictures, are the portraits of the two patrons of 
the library, Mrs. Patten and Mrs. Gleason. 

In the year 1911 the F. A. Casey Company of 
Billerica wired the library building for electric lights 



116 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

at a cost of one hundred and five dollars. The wiring 
from the street to the building is underground. 

In 1911 the town made a special appropriation of 
one hundred dollars for cataloging the library; of this 
amount S95.03 was used. 

Since the erection of the Gleason Library building 
several historical collections have been donated to the 
town, and now that the town has a suitable place for 
receiving and displaying collections of this nature, doubt- 
less many more will subsequently be donated. The 
following copy of a letter explains itself and treats of 
the largest single collection thus far accepted by the 
town: 

"Mason, N. H., August 25, 1916. 
To the Trustees of the Public Library of Carlisle, Mass. 

I, a son of Carlisle, wish to offer to the town as a 
free gift a collection of relics from the Battlefield of 
Gettysburg, to be placed on exhibition in the Public 
Library. I have some printed lists of the articles, which 
are now at the home of my sister in Somerville. The 
relics and cabinet will weigh about one thousand pounds 
and could best be moved by team. Kindly advise if you 
will accept. 

Very truly yours, 

W. Irving Heald." 

The above collection is catalogued under one hun- 
dred and nine heads, and the following copy of a letter 
written by Mr. Heald will give additional information 
regarding it. 

"Pratt Station, N. H., October 9, 1916. 

Dear Sister: About the value of the relics I gave 
the town of Carlisle, the collection is priceless. It would 
be impossible to get another like it. At the time I thought 
of selling it to the Grand Army Post of Boston, by the 
advice of Capt. E. A. Sanborn, who is competent to 



GLEASON LIBEARY 117 

judge in matters of that kind, I named one thousand 
dollars as the price. Capt. A. E. Long, government guide 
at Gettysburg, says in relation to it: 'There is but one 
collection in existence that will equal yours, and that is 
owned by the State of Pennsylvania, and that or your 
own can never be duplicated.' 

To those only who realize the fact that the Battle of 
Gettysburg was the decisive engagement of the rebellion, 
will their full value be understood. 

Your Brother, 

W. I. Heald." 



Chapter XIV 

TOWN BOUNDS 

The second District of Carlisle was established April 28, 
1780, and the bounds established. These bounds have, 
however, been changed several times. The date of the 
first change was September 12, 1780, or less than five 
months after the district was formed, when a part of the 
district was annexed to the town of Concord. The second 
change in the original bounds was made March 1, 1783, 
when a part of the district was annexed to the town of 
Chelmsford. On February 18, 1805, the district was 
made a town and on February 17, 1865, a part of Chelms- 
ford was annexed to Carlisle, and the bounds established. 

The boundary lines on the southeasterly corner of 
the town, or the line separating that portion of the town 
of Carlisle from the town of Concord, were originally very 
irregular because of the unwillingness of certain inhabi- 
tants of that locality to be set off from the town of Con- 
cord, when the new district of Carlisle was established. 
An effort was made by the town of Carlisle in the year 
1826 to effect a straightening of the bounds. A com- 
mittee of three persons were appointed by the town, to 
confer with officials of the town of Concord in regard to 
the affair. This effort, however, proved ineffectual. 

Again at a town meeting held November 10, 1851, 
Messrs. John Jacobs, Thomas Green and Joel Boynton 
were chosen a committee to petition the Legislature that 
the above-mentioned bounds be straightened, and said 
committee were authorized and instructed by the town 
to take all necessary measures to accomplish the purpose. 

118 



TOWN CLOCK 119 

No results were obtained and several less pretentious 
attempts in the same direction also failed until May 23, 
1903, when the zig-zag lines were eliminated and a con- 
tinuous straight line now indicates the boundary between 
the two towns. 

The Town Clock 

Carlisle is very fortunate in being the possessor by 
gift of a beautiful town clock, made by the Howard 
Clock Company and conspicuously installed on the tower 
of the Unitarian Church. Until the year 1870 it had 
been the custom of the town to have the church bell 
rung by man power, each week day at the noon hour. 
Under the new dispensation the church bell rings auto- 
matically, not only at the noon hour, but every hour of 
the day and night, and designates what the hour is, a 
great improvement and a great saving of man power, 
which appears to be getting more expensive as the years 
go by. 

The following letter discloses the source from which 
the clock came and the conditions relative to it: 

"Sudbury, Mass., October 6, 1894. 
T. A. Green, Esq.: 

Dear Sir: Your letter of October 4, speaking of the 
clock, is received and I write now to say that I will give 
to the town of Carlisle one thousand dollars ($1000) to 
purchase a town clock, to be placed in the tower of the 
Unitarian Church, as I think that would be the most 
desirable place for it as the building is high and stands 
high. Whatever sum remains after the purchase of the 
clock, and the cost of placing it in position, I should wish 
to have safely invested, and the income used for the 
care of the clock. 

Very respectfully yours, 

Joanna Gleason." 



120 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

At a town meeting held Tuesday, November 6, 1894, 
Art. V in the warrant read as follows: "To see if the 
town will accept a gift of one thousand dollars from 
Mrs. Joanna Gleason of Sudbury, for the erection of a 
town clock, to be placed in the tower of the Unitarian 
Church, or act thereon," It was "voted to accept the 
gift." 

At the annual town meeting held Monday, March 
18, 1895, it was "voted that the town extend a vote of 
thanks to Mrs. Joanna Gleason, for the gift of a town 
clock, and that the selectmen be instructed to draw up 
resolutions to that effect, and forward to Mrs. Gleason, 
and that they be placed on record," The selectmen 
attended to their duties, and the result of their action is 
as follows: 

"Resolved, That the thanks of the town be extended 
to Mrs, Joanna Gleason, for her noble gift of a town clock, 
placed in the steeple of our historic meeting-house, in 
memoriam of her dearly beloved father and mother; and 
that we assure our noble benefactress that the citizens of 
her native town will alwaj^s hold in loving remembrance, 
not only those in whose memory her splendid gift is 
bestowed, but our hearts' gratitude shall also go out to 
the donor till time shall be no more. And also be it 
Resolved, that these resolutions shall be spread upon the 
records of the town, and a copy of them be presented to 
Mrs, Gleason, 

John Q. A. Green, 
George E. French, 
John P. Davis, 

Selectmen of Carlisle. 
Carlisle, Mass., March 26, 1895," 

The cost of the town clock, including installing same 
in the church tower, was six hundred dollars and the 
balance remaining was subsequently increased by Mrs. 



CARLISLE PINES 121 

Gleason, so that the amount of the original fund, the 
income from which is to be used for the care of the clock, 
was also six hundred dollars. 



Carlisle Pines 

What has come to be known as the Carlisle Pines 
includes about one hundred specimens of this variety, 
which have escaped the often-threatened destruction by 
fire, and that other alternative, the woodman's axe, are 
located on a reservation of about nine acres on the west- 
ern edge of Carlisle, at the foot of an eminence known as 
Railtree Hill. It was late in the fall of 1901 that Mr. 
Warren H. Manning of Billerica, who was a member of 
the executive committee of the Massachusetts Forestry 
Association, found lumbermen just getting at work on 
the tract. As an expert he at once recognized the monu- 
mental and historical value of these trees, and by nego- 
tiation with the purchasers of the timber rights he secured 
an option upon the property. He then presented the 
matter to his colleagues on the executive board of the 
Association, and after an inspection of the trees, they 
decided to take the matter up, and open a subscription 
for the purchase of the land and the timber rights. 

The Forestry Association was young and had no 
corporate funds available for such purposes, but its 
members individually made prompt response to the call 
upon them. The Appalachian Mountain Club is em- 
powered under its special charter to hold land for public 
reservations, and it seemed best to make that strong and 
public-spirited organization the custodian of the Carlisle 
property when acquired. The proposition was officially 
presented to the Club, and its council endorsed the move- 
ment, and subscribed one hundred dollars to the fund. 
From that time the official representatives of the two 



122 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

bodies worked together for the success of the under- 
taking. 

The largest financial assistance came from the Massa- 
chusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture, which sub- 
scribed five hundred dollars, conditioned only upon the 
deed being satisfactory to the society's council, and the 
land being held permanently for the public. Mr. Arthur 
Warren of Chelmsford, one of the two owners of the timber 
rights, contributed his individual check for one hundred 
dollars, and other contributions ranging from one to one 
hundred dollars brought the amount up to seventeen 
hundred dollars. Two hundred dollars of this was turned 
over to the trustees for improvements and maintenance, 
and the balance paid for the property after the proper 
surveys had been made, and the deed acquired. 

The Carlisle Pines are estimated to be from one 
hundred and fifty to two hundred years old, and were 
probably mature when the minutemen gathered from all 
the country about them at Concord and Lexington, and 
when Carlisle came into existence as a district. 

One of the trees has an altitude of 122.5 feet and 
there are several over 119 feet. The circumference of 
some of the larger trees three feet above the ground 
ranges from nine to ten and one-half feet, with a diameter 
of thirty-six to forty inches. 

August 26, 1918, was a very hot day, and it was on 
the afternoon of that day that the author, in company 
with a friend, visited the Pines. A group of about a 
dozen of the larger trees, rising from the low land under 
Railtree Hill, particularly attracted our attention, as 
they stood there straight and tall, with the hot sun- 
light of an August day, just preceding an electric 
storm, shimmering through their feathery foliage. They 
were about what we expected to see, sentinels of a 
New England forest, larger and taller than any others 



STREET RAILWAYS 123 

for miles and miles around, and well worth the effort 
of a visit. 

It would not be proper to compare these trees with 
those found in the Yosemite Valley of California, where 
there are sequoias that soar to an altitude of three hun- 
dred feet, and where the author, in making a detour from 
Big Tree Station a few years ago, came to the Grizzly 
Giant, one of the largest of the sequoia variety, which 
had a circumference of one hundred feet, and the lower 
limb, branching out one hundred feet from the ground, 
was said to be six feet in diameter. Also in the grove 
at the Castle of Chepultepec, near the city of Mexico, 
are cypress trees festooned with Spanish moss, whose 
origin is said to antedate the advent of the Saviour, and 
whose circumference in certain cases is very great, the 
author being one of nine persons joining hands to en- 
circle one of the larger specimens. The Pines belong to 
a different class, and never attain to the proportions 
mentioned above, but are exceedingly good specimens of 
their class, for this locality. 

Street Railways 

It appeared at one time, when the boom for street 
railways was at its height, that Carlisle, in common with 
most of her neighboring towns, would participate in this 
kind of transportation. It would require the construc- 
tion of about nine miles of roadway to connect Concord 
with the terminus of the street railway already operating 
from Lowell to Chelmsford, and thus a connection would 
be made, transferring to any part of the State, supplying 
transportation to a rural community not served by any 
public conveyance, and the route would traverse a section 
of more than ordinary beauty of scenery. 

A warrant for a special town meeting to be held 



124 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

Tuesday, February 8, 1898, was issued, and contained 
six articles, four of which referred to the proposed Marl- 
boro and Lowell Street Railway Company. Art. V read: 
"To see what amount of money if any the town will vote 
to petition the Legislature for leave to subscribe for and 
hold in the capital stock of the Marlboro and Lowell 
Street Railway Company or act thereon." It was "voted 
that the town take $20,000 worth of stock in the Marl- 
boro and Lowell Street Railway Company, provided that 
they build the road through the center of the village, 
and that no stock be taken until the road is built and 
equipped." 

Nothing ever developed as the result of the above 
vote, and on September 29, 1900, a petition by the Lex- 
ington and Boston Street Railway Company for a loca- 
tion of tracks in Carlisle, over practically the same route 
as was desired by the Marlboro and Lowell Street Rail- 
way Company was received by the selectmen of the 
town. 

In consideration of the foregoing petition, a public 
hearing was given to all interested parties at Union Hall 
in said town on Saturday, December 1, 1900, at two- 
thirty in the afternoon. 

The result of the hearing was favorable to the Rail- 
way Company and the selectmen so notified their officials 
by a detailed document, dated January 9, 1901, which 
the directors of said road acknowledged and accepted as 
set forth in a communication dated January 17, 1901. 
Like the former petition, no further action was taken, 
and Carlisle is still (1920) lacking public transportation 
facilities. 

Electric Lighting 

The era of tallow candles, sperm oil and fluid lights 
for indoor illumination was supplanted about the year 



ELECTRIC LIGHTING 125 

1860 by kerosene oil, which at that time was not so 
thoroughly refined as the same article sold a few years 
later. The color was a lightish brown, and the oil sold 
at a dollar a gallon, but the candle power of the light 
produced was so much superior to all former illuminants, 
that it came into general use, and soon decreased in price, 
and improved in quality. About twenty years later 
electricity began to be used as an illuminant, but more 
particularly for street lighting. 

At a special town meeting called for Wednesday, 
May 24, 1911, Article II in the warrant read: "To see 
what action the town will take in regard to entering into 
a ten-year contract with the Edison Electric Illuminating 
Company for installing a system of street lighting in the 
town." It was "voted that a committee consisting of 
three members be appointed and hereby are authorized 
and empowered to enter into and execute, in the name 
and behalf of the town of Carlisle, a ten-year written 
contract for street lighting in the town, at a price not 
exceeding $13.33 per light of forty candlepower per year. 
The lights to be not less than thirty-nine in number, 
such contract to be submitted to the town for ratification." 
The result of the vote was yes, forty-two, no, thirteen. 
It was also "voted that the committee be appointed by 
the moderator," and the following were named: Daniel W. 
Robbins, James H. Wilkins, Warren B. Chamberlin, who 
were the selectmen of the town. 

At a special town meeting held Saturday evening, 
June 10, 1911, on motion of Rev. Philip A. Job, it was 
"voted unanimously that the town ratify the contract 
nade by the selectmen with the Edison Electric Illumi- 
nating Company of Boston," and thus the new and 
superior illuminant was introduced in the town for 
street lighting purposes, and soon was used in public 
buildings and many residences. 



126 history of carlisle 

Public Telephone Station 

A public telephone station was established in Car- 
lisle about the year 1895, in the S. A. & J. E. Bull store 
building, and subsequently numerous party lines and 
residential services were installed. 



Chapter XV 

TOWN OFFICIALS 

The more important town officers, with the dates 
and years of service, have been as follows: 



Town Clerks 

Zebulum Spaulding, 1780-1784 5 years 

Asa Parlin, 1785-1802, 1806-1808 21 years 

John Jacobs, 1803-1809-1812, 1826 6 years 

John Jacobs, Jr., 1847-1852 6 years 

Jonathan Heald, 1804-1805, 1818-1820 5 years 

Jonathan Heald, Jr., 1813-1814 2 years 

John Heald, Jr., 1815-1817, 1821-1825, 1827- 

1829 11 years 

Cyrus Heald, 1830-1835, 1845-1846 8 years 

Calvin Heald, 1836-1840, 1843-1844 7 years 

Ephraim Robbins, 1841-1842 2 years 

George F. Duren, 1853-1869 17 years 

Selar Simons, 1870-1872 3 years 

Austin Marsh, 1873-1880 8 years 

John E. Bull, 1881-1890 10 years 

Warren B. Chamberlin 1891-1898, resigned 

September 20, 1898 8 years 

Daniel W. Robbins, elected October 21, 1898- 

1901 4 years 

Daniel L. Chamberlin, 1902-1907 6 years 

Frank H. Bilhngton, 1908-1911, resigned June 

17, 1911 4 years 

Herbert A. Lee, 1912-1914 3 years 

127 



128 



HISTORY OF CARLISLE 



Dexter C. Whittemore, 1915-1919 5 years 

William Foss, Jr., 1920 1 year 

Town Treasurers 

Captain Samuel Heald, 1780-1785 6 years 

Simon Blood, Jr., 1786-1787 2 years 

Jonathan Blood, 1788 1 year 

Samuel Green, 1789-1802 14 years 

Nathan Green, Jr., 1803-1818 16 years 

John Green, 1819-1828, 1830-1838 19 years 

John Nelson, 1829 1 year 

Thomais Green, 1839-1862 24 years 

William Green, 1863-1880 18 years 

Thomas A. Green, 1881-1882 2 years 

Humphrey Prescott, 1883 1 year 

Sidney A. Bull, 1884-1892 9 years 

Warren B. Chamberlin, 1893-1898 (resigned 

September 20, 1898) 1902-1906, 1909-1916 19 years 

Herbert A. Lee, 1907-1908, 1917-1920 6 years 

Selectmen 

Zebulum Spaulding, 1780, 1783-1784 3 years 

Capt. Phineas Blood, 1780-1781 2 years 

Lieut. John Heald, 1780-1781 2 years 

Samuel Green, 1781, 1799-1800 3 years 

Lieut. Issachar Andrews, 1781-1784 4 years 

Simon Blood, Jr., 1781, 1785-1793, died Novem- 
ber 7, 1793 10 years 

Asa Parhn, 1782, 1785-1802, 1806-1808 22 years 

Zacheus Green, 1782 1 year 

Nathaniel Hutchinson, 1783 1 year 

Nathan Parlin, 1784 1 year 

Jonathan Heald, 1785-1786, 1788-1801, 1804- 

1805, 1818-1820 21 years 



J 



TOWN OFFICIALS 



129 



Deacon Ephraim Robbins, 1787, 1794-1795, 

1801-1802, 1806-1808 8 years 

Leonard Green, 1796-1797 2 years 

John Jacobs, 1798, 1803, 1809-1812, 1826 7 years 

Nathan Green, Jr. 1802 1 year 

John Green, 1803, 1829 2 years 

Thomas Spaulding, 1803 1 year 

Frederick Blood, 1804-1805 2 years 

Ezekiel Nickles, 1804-1805, 1833 3 years 

Nehemiah Andrews, 1806-1807 2 years 

Capt. Tmiothy Heald, 1808-1812 5 years 

EHakim Hutchms, 1809, 1815 2 years 

Thomas Heald, 1810, 1812, 1821-1823, 1829 . . 7 years 

Jonathan Heald, Jr., 1813-1814 2 years 

Benjamin Robbins, 1813-1814 2 years 

Major Jonas Parker, 1813-1817, 1830-1832 . . 8 years 
Captain John Heald, Jr., 1815-1817, 1821-1825, 

1827-1829 11 years 

Aaron Robbins, 1816-1817, 1820-1821 4 years 

Aaron Fletcher, 1818-1819 2 years 

Paul Forbush, 1818-1819 2 years 

Isaiah Green, 1820-1823 4 years 

Cyrus Heald, 1824-1828, 1830-1835, 1845-1846 13 years 

James Green, 1824-1825 2 years 

Cyrus Green, 1826-1828, 1833 4 years 

Thomas Heald, Jr., 1830-1832 3 years 

William Green, 2d, 1834-1836, 1840 4 years 

Thomas Page, 1834-1840 7 years 

Calvin Heald, 1836-1840, 1843-1844 7 years 

Ai Wheat, 1837 1 year 

William Durant, 1838 1 year 

Benjamin P. Hutchins, 1838 1 year 

Benjamin Barrett, 1839, 1842 2 years 

Ephraim Robbins, 1841-1842 2 years 

Joseph V. Heald, 1841-1842 2 years 



130 



HISTORY OF CARLISLE 



Benjamin F. Heald, 1841, 1844-1845, 1870- 

1872, 1875 7 years 

John D. Robbins, 1843 1 year 

George F. Duren, 1843-1844, 1852-1862, 1864- 

1868, 1873-1874, 1876 21 years 

John Jacobs, 1845-1852, 1864 9 years 

Thomas Green, 1846-1851 6 years 

Lucius Styles, 1847-1849 3 years 

Joel Boynton, 1850-1862, 1865, 1870, 1873. . . 16 years 

Ebenezer Champney, 1853-1854, 1875 3 years 

John Q. A. Green, 1853-1854, 1863, 1878, 

1884-1887, 1892, 1894-1895 11 years 

Timothy Wilkins, 1855 1 year 

Isaac Blaisdell, 1856-1860, 1862 6 years 

Selar Simons, 1861 1 year 

Abram Hutchins, 1863 1 year 

J. M. Currier, 1863, 1872 2 years 

Sebra D. Bartlett, 1864-1865 2 years 

William Farrar, 1866-1869 4 years 

John H. Champney, 1866 1 year 

Samuel E. Scott, 1867 1 year 

Nathaniel A. Taylor, 1868-1869 2 years 

George S. Skelton, 1869-1871, 1876-1884. ... 12 years 

William W. Morse, 1871 1 year 

Samuel H. Robbins, 1872 1 year 

Humphrey Prescott, 1873 1 j^ear 

Austin Marsh, 1874, 1877 2 years 

Daniel W. Robbins, 1874-1875, 1888-1892 

1899-1901, 1904-1905, 1907-1909-1913. . 18 years 

Asa Nickles, 1876-1883 8 years 

George H. Robbins, 1879, 1886, 1888-1889. . . 4 years 

Nathaniel Hutchinson, 1880-1881, 1887 3 years 

Sidney A. Bull, 1882 1 year 

Albert S. Day, 1883 1 year 

JohnP.Davis, 1884-1889, 1891, 1893, 1895, 1903 10 years 



TOWN OFFICIALS 



131 



John E. Bull, 1885 1 year 

Abel G. Hodgman, 1887 1 year 

Warren H. Blaisdell, 1890-1891, 1893-189-t 

1898, 1900-1902 8 years 

Leonard M. Green, 1890, 1893 2 years 

Warren B. Chamberlin, 1892, 1896, 1909-1911 5 years 

George E. French, 1894-1895 2 years 

Charles Forbush, 1896-1897 2 years 

Charles A. Skelton, 1896-1901 6 years 

Edward J. Carr, 1897-1898, 1902-1903 4 years 

Benjamin F. Blaisdell, 1899, 1905, 1919-1920 4 years 

Dexter C. Whittemore, 1902-1905, 1907 5 years 

Daniel L. Chamberlin, 1904, 1906-1908 3 years 

Herbert P. Dutton, 1906-1908 3 years 

George R. Duren, 1906 1 year 

Fred C. Cook, 1908-1909 2 years 

Warren C. Nickles, 1910 1 year 

James H. Wilkins, 1911-1918 8 years 

James S. Anthony, 1912-1920 9 years 

William Foss, Jr., 1914-1919 6 years 

Eugene S. Bearce, 1920 1 year 



Representatives 

The following is a list of names of those who have 
served as representatives in the State Legislature from 
Carlisle, and also the years in which they held office. 
Deacon Ephraim Robbins, 1790, 1806, 1807, 1808. 
Asa Parlin, 1803, convention 1788. 
Rev. Paul Litchfield, 1809, 1810, 1811. 
Timothy Heald, 1812. 
Thomas Heald, 1815. 
Jonathan Heald, Jr., 1816 . 
John Heald, 1818, 1821, 1823, 1826, 1827, 1830. 
Dr. John Nelson, 1824. 



132 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

Cyrus Heald, 1832, 1833, 1834, 1835. 

Benjamin Barrett, 1836, convention 1820. 

Rev. George W. Stacy, 1837. 

Calvin Heald, 1839, 1866. 

Amos Spaulding, 1840, 1841. 

Thomas Green, 1843, 1850. 

Benjamin F. Heald, 1848. 

John Jacobs, Jr., 1851, convention 1853. 

Joel Boynton, 1852. 

Amos T. Monroe, 1855. 

Samuel B. Chamberlain, 1860. 

Humphrey Prescott, 1871. 

Sidney A. Bull, 1880. 

James H. Wilkins, 1919-1920. 

The following is a list of the names of residents of 
the town of Carlisle who have been appointed to the 
office of justice of the peace; also the date and number 
of years of service. 

Justice of the Peace 

Asa Parlin, 1789-1824 35 years 

Jonathan Heald, 1794-1810 (died March 22, 

1810) 16 years 

Jonathan Heald, Jr., 1817-1824 7 years 

Nathaniel Hutchinson, Jr., 1817-1824 7 years 

John Heald, 1823-1844 21 years 

John Nelson, 1824-1836 12 years 

Calvin Heald, 1837-1865 28 years 

AnT,os Spaulding, 1841-1855 14 years 

Benjamin Barrett, 1843-1850 7 years 

John Jacobs, 1842-1859 7 years 

George F. Duren, 1855-1894 39 years 

Stephen Taylor, 1857-1864 7 years 

Selar Simons, 1862-1884 22 years 



TOWN OFFICIALS 



133 



Albion A. Adams, 1881-1902 21 years 

Nathaniel A. Taylor, 1883-1890 7 years 

George R. Dufen, 1887-1920 33 years 

Warren B. Chamberlin, 1895-1919 (died 

November 7, 1919) 24 years 

Frank H. Billington, 1908-1911 (Notary 

Public) 3 years 

Dexter C. Whittemore, 1916-1920 (Notary 

Public) 4 years 



Physicians 

The following is a list of physicians who have 
resided and practiced in the town, the latter being the 
resident physician for sixty-one years: John Nelson, 
1816-1836; Paul C. Kittredge, 1837-1839; Austin Marsh, 
1839-1900. 

Population 

The population of the town for each decade, from 
1790, as supplied by the United States census, is as 
follows: 1790, 555; 1800, 634; 1810, 672; 1820, 681; 1830, 
566; 1840, 556; 1850, 632; 1860, 621; 1870, 569; 1880, 
478; 1890, 481; 1900, 480; 1910, 551; 1920, 463. 



Chapter XVI 
SOME ANCIENT DOCUMENTS 

Timothy Wilkins' Deed 

"To all People to whom these presents shall come, 
Greeting. 

Know ye that I Timothy Wilkins of Concord in the 
County of Middlesex and Magesties Province of the 
Massachusetts Bay in New England yeoman, for and in 
consideration of the love and regard that I have for the 
public worship of God and the good of my neighbours & 
fellow cretures espetiallj^ the persons hereafter mentioned 
& named viz. Mr. John Green John Green J'' Fl-ances 
Blood, John Fletcher, Nathaniel Tajdor Jun"" Solomon 
Andras, Timothy Wilkins J'^' Stephen Blood, Jeremiah 
Andras, Isaac Wilkins, Joseph Taylor, Zecheas Green, 
Elizebeth Spaulding all of Concord in the County of 
Middlesex and Province of the Massachusetts Bay, and 
Thomas Spaulding, Job Spaulding Jonas Robens John 
Kidder Jonas Keyes John Spaulding the 3d all of chelnis- 
ford in County and Providence aforesaid, and James 
Nicless Abraham Durent Nathan Munrow John Henery, 
Henary Foster all of Billerica in the County and Province 
aforesaid. I have therefore freely fully and absolutely 
give grant and convey and confirm unto the persons 
above written their heirs Executors administrators and 
assigns forever for the covenancy of building a Meeting 
house for the public worship of God, and other public 
uses, one acre and a half of upland lying in Concord 
aforesaid, lying Southwesterly from my dwelling house 
in Concord, bounded as followeth the South East Corner 
a stake and stones then running westwardly sixteen pole 

134 



SOME ANCIENT DOCUMENTS 135 

to a black oak tree marked, then running northwardly 
fifteen pole to a stake and stones, then running Easterly 
sixteen pole to a white oak tree marked then running 
southwardly fifteen poles to the bound first mentioned — 
To Have and to Hold the said granted and given premises 
with all the privileges appurtenances & commodities 
to the same belonging or in any appertaining to them the 
persons above named of Concord, Chelmsford & Billerica 
their heirs and assigns forever for to build a Meeting 
house on and other public uses forever. Ajid I the said 
Timothy Wilkins for my self my heirs Executors and 
administrators do covinant promas and grant to and 
with them the said John Green Thomas Spaulding and 
James Nicless and the other persons above written their 
heirs and assigns that before the ensealing hereof I 
Timothy Wilkins am the true, sole and lawful owner of 
the above given premises and am lawfully seised and 
possessed of the same in my own proper right as a good 
perfect and absolute estate of inheritance in fee simple 
and have in myself good right full power & lawful author- 
ity to give convey & confirm said given premises as afore- 
said and that the persons aforesaid their heirs and assigns 
shall and may from time to time & at all times forever 
hereafter by face and vertue of these presants lawfully 
peaceable and quietly use and improve the said demised 
and given premises with the appurtenances for the public 
uses as above said free and clear and freely and clearly 
acquitted and exonerated and discharged of and from 
all & all manner of former or other gifts grants bargains 
sails Leaces Mortgages wills and entails joyntures judg- 
ments Executions or incumbrances of what name or 
nature soever, that might in any measure or degree ob- 
struct or make void this present deed of gift. 

Furthermore I the said Timothy Wilkins for my self 
mv heirs executors and administrators do covenant and 



136 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

engage the above given premises to them the above 
said John Green, John Green Jun". Frances Blood John 
Fletcher, Nathaniel Taylor J"^' Solomon Andras, Isaac 
Wilkins, Timothy Wilkins Jr., Stephen Blood Jeremiah 
Andras, Joseph Taylor Zacheas Green, Elisebeth Spauld- 
ing Thomas Spaulding, Job Spaulding, Jonas Robens, 
John Kidder Jonas Keyes, John Spaulding 3d James 
Nicless, Abraham Durant, Nathan Munrow, John Henry, 
Henry Foster their heirs & assigns against the lawful 
claims and demands of any person or persons whatsoever 
forever hereafter to warrant secure and defend by these 
presants. 

In witness whereof I the said Timothy Wilkins have 
hereunto set my hand and seal this first day of July 
1758. In the thirty first year of his Majesties reign 
George the Second &c. 

Timothy Wilkins [seal] 
Signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of us 
Nathan Green, 
Samuel Green." 

The foregoing instrument conveys, as a free gift, the 
land on which the first meeting-house was built by sub- 
scription, about the year 1760, during the interval between 
the formation of the two districts of Carlisle, and was 
known as the meeting-house lot. 

The first meeting-house was struck by lightning 
May 26, 1810, and burned to the ground. The second 
meeting-house was built by the town of Carlisle in the 
year 1811, on the same conveyed and given premises, a 
few feet to the southeast from the original location. 

Timothy Wilkins' dwelling was probably located at 
the time of the above transfer north of the second meet- 
ing-house, on the corner, in the center of the town, which 
was successively owned and occupied since 1870 by Jabez 
Reynolds, John H, Duren and Everett Lapham. 



some ancient documents 137 

Reuben Duren's Deed 

"Know all men by these Presents that I Reuben 
Duren of Carlisle, in the County of Middlesex and Com- 
monwealth of Massachusetts yeoman, In consideration 
of thirty dollars paid by the Inhabitants of the town of 
Carlisle in the County and Commonwealth aforesaid, the 
receipt of which I do hereby acknowledge, do hereby 
give grant sell and convey unto the said Inhabitants of 
Carlisle in their corporate capacity their successors and 
assigns forever, a certain piece of land lying in said 
Carlisle near the Meetinghouse, containing by estima- 
tion about half an acre, be the same more or less, bounded 
as follows viz. Beginning at the southeasterly corner of 
the Meetinghouse lot thence running southerly by a 
stone wall about three rods to the South County road so 
called, then westerly by said road till it comes to the 
road leading from Chelmsford by Aaron Fletchers Black- 
smith shop to Concord, thence northerly by said last 
mentioned road till it comes to said Meetinghouse lot, 
thence southerly by said Meetinghouse lot till it comes to 
the southwest corner o^ the same, thence easterly by 
said Meetinghouse lot to the bound or corner first men- 
tioned excepting out of the same the roads which are 
included within said bounds if any are included — 

To Have and to Hold afore granted Premises with 
all the privileges and appurtenances thereunto belong- 
ing to the said Inhabitants of the town of Carlisle their 
successors and assigns to their use and behoof forever. 
And I do covenant with the said Inhabitants of Carlisle 
their successors & assigns, that I am lawfully seized in 
fee of the Premises that they are free of all incumbrances, 
that I have good right to sell and convey the same to the 
said Inhabitants in manner aforesaid and that I will 
warrant and defend the same Premises to the said 
Inhabitants of Carlisle their successors and assigns 



138 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

forever against the lawful claims and demands of all 
persons. 

In witness whereof I the said Reuben Duren to- 
gether with Susanna Duren my wife who hereby relin- 
quishes her right of Dower and power of thirds in the 
Premises have hereunto set our hands and seals this twenty- 
second day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand 
eight hundred and thirteen. 

Reuben Duren [seal] 

Susanna Duren [seal] 

Signed sealed and delivered 
in presence of us, 
Asa Parlin, 
Cyrus Nutting." 

The Reuben Duren deed conveys to the inhabitants 
of Carlisle, in consideration of the sum of thirty dollars, 
one-half acre of land located and bounding the meeting- 
house lot on the south and west sides. 



Cyrus Nutting Deed 

"Know all men by these Presents that I Cyrus 
Nutting of Carlisle in the County of Middlesex and Com- 
monwealth of Massachusetts, Cordwainer in considera- 
tion of nine dollars paid by the Inhabitants of the town 
of Carlisle in the County and Commonwealth aforesaid 
the receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge, do hereby 
give grant sell and convey unto the said Inhabitants of 
the town of Carlisle their successors and assigns forever 
a certain piece of land lying in said Carlisle near the 
Meetinghouse containing about six rods be the same more 
or less bounded as follows viz. Beginning at a stake and 
stones at the southeasterly corner of said piece on the 
north side of the Meetinghouse lot then running westerly 
by said Meetinghouse lot till it comes to the road which 



SOME ANCIENT DOCUMENTS 139 

crosses the northwest corner of said lot then running 
northeasterly by said road till it comes to a townway 
leading from said road towards the Meetinghouse then 
southerly by said townway to the bound first mentioned — 

To have and to hold the afore granted Premises to 
the said Inhabitants of Carlisle their successors and 
assigns to them and their use and behoof forever and I 
do covenant with the said Inhabitants of Carlisle their 
successors and assigns that I am lawfully seized in fee 
of the Premises that they are free of all incumbrances 
That I have good right to sell and convey the same to 
said Inhabitants in manner aforesaid and that I will 
warrant and defend the same Premises to the said Inhab- 
itants of Carlisle their successors and assigns forever 
against the lawful claims and demands of all persons 
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal 
this first day of November in the year of our Lord one 
thousand eight hundred and thirteen. 

Cyrus Nutting, [seal] 
signed sealed and delivered 
in the presence of us 
Asa Parlin 
Salaima Parlin." 

The Cyrus Nutting deed, in consideration of nine 
dollars, conveys to the inhabitants of Carlisle six rods of 
land, located and forming part of the northern boundary 
of the meeting-house lot. The Timothy Wilkins gift of 
one and one-half acres, the Reuben Duren deed of one- 
half acre, and the Cyrus Nutting deed of six rods of land, 
all located in the center of Carlisle, constitute what is 
now known as the Carlisle Common. 

Will of Simon Blood Jun"*. 
"In the Name of God Amen the fourteenth day of 
October in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hun- 



140 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

dred and ninety three I Simon Blood Jun""' of Carlisle in 
the County of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massa- 
chusetts yeoman Knowing that it is appointed unto all 
men once to die and being in a low State of health but 
of sound mind do make and ordain this my last Will and 
Testament (viz.)- 

First of all I Recommend my soul to God who gave 
it trusting in the merits of my Redeemer my body I 
Recommend to the Dust to be Decently Buried at the 
Discretion of my Executor hereinafter named. 

Item my will is that my Just Debts Legaces and 
Funeral charges be paid out of my Estate by my Executor 
herein after named. 

Item I give unto the District of Carlisle aforesaid a 
Lott of woodland lying in said Carlisle near Mr. Timothy 
Wilkinses Bounding partly on said Wilkins land partly 
on Capt. Samuel Healds land and partly on Land of 
David Blood said Lott to be kept for a Ministerial Lott 
for the benefit of said District and no more wood to be 
cut on said Lott yearly than to Supply the Minister. 

Item My will is that there be paid out of my Estate 
to the Selectmen of the said District of Carlisle or to 
such person or persons as the said District may appoint 
to receive the same: the sum of one hundred pounds to 
be forever kept for the use of said District the income 
thereof to be laid out annually for the support of school- 
ing as the said District may think best. 

Item My will is that their be paid out of my Estate 
to my Cousin Jonas Blood the sum of one hundred pounds 
which sum together with one yoke of oxen I give to him 
the said Jonas his heirs and assigns forever. 

Item My will is that there be paid out of my Estate 
to my Sister Jane Blood fifty pounds which sum I give 
to her the said Jane her heirs and assigns forever. 

Item I give unto my Cousin Sarah Blood her heirs 



SOME ANCIENT DOCUMENTS 141 

and assigns forever the sum of fiftj^ pounds also two Cows 
and two yearlings and one Desk. 

Item I give unto Asa Parlin of said Carlisle his heirs 
and assigns forever the sum of fifteen pounds. 

Item My will is that all the Remainder of my Estate 
Real Personal or mixed which I shall die seized of not 
herein before Disposed of be Divided to each one within 
named in the same proportion as what is particularly 
mentioned to be given them or if I should die not siezed 
of so much Estate as is herein particularly^ mentioned 
then the whole after my Just Debts and funeral charges 
are paid to be Divided in the same proportion as afore- 
said and I do constitute the said Asa Parlin my Executor 
of this my last Will and Testament and I do disanul and 
revoke all former Wills Rattifying this and only this to 
be my last Will and Testament. 

Simon Blood, Jun. [seal] 
in presence of 
Jonathan Blood 
John Robbens Junr""' 
David Parlin Jun." 

A meeting of the members of the First Religious 
Society in Carlisle was held at their meeting-house 
January 15, 1853. The first article in the warrant was 
"To see if the Parish will vote to sell the ministerial lot." 
It was "Voted that it is expedient that the ministerial 
lot should be sold, and the proceeds thereof be invested 
otherwise for the benefit of the parish." A committee of 
three were chosen, who made application to the General 
Court for the necessary authority, which was granted by 
an Act passed March 29, 1853, and the lot, which con- 
tained about seventeen acres, and originally furnished 
fuel for the minister's home when there was but one 
church supported by the town, was disposed of, and the 
proceeds added to the parish fund. 



142 history of carlisle 

Will of George Robbins 

Will of George, son of Robert Robbins, who was 
either the first or second owner of the Robbins farm in 
North Carlisle, which was originally a part of Chelms- 
ford. 

"In the Name of God Amen. I Georg Robins of 
Chelmsford in ye County of Middlesex, in New Eng- 
land, being of a sound & disposing mind. Do Committ 
my Soul to God my heavenly Father and my body to ye 
dust, therein to be decently interred, according to ye 
discresion of the Executor of this my will hereafter men- 
tioned, And as to ye estate which God hath bestowed upon 
me, I dispose it in manner as followeth. Imprimis. I 
give to my beloved wife Mary Twenty pounds in Corn 
and Cattle, at Countrey price, as it goes between man 
and man, this to be paid within four years after my 
Death, to my three sonnes Samuel, Eliezer & Benjamin 
I give Ten pounds to each of them. Also to my son 
Jonathan I give Ten pounds; Also to Tho: my son I give 
five pounds, these Legacies to be paid them in Corn or 
Cattle when they come to be of age. Also to my Daughter 
Sarah, I give my feather bed with its furniture and also 
ten pounds & to my Daughter Mary I give Ten pounds, 
both these to be paid in three years after my Death half 
of it in houshold goods the other half in Corn or Cattle; 
Also to my son Phillip I give half of my meddow which 
I bought of George Harly of Billerica, lying by Concord 
Road, and twelve acres of Upland lying by Samuel 
Barret. Item to my two sonnes John and George I give 
all ye rest of my lands, equally to be divided among 
themselves as they shall agree. Finally I Constitute, and 
make my sonnes John and George to be Executors of 
this my last will and Testament, appointing them to take 
care that all my just debts be paid, that this is my last 
will and testament. In witness thereof I sett to my hand 



SOME ANCIENT DOCUMENTS 143 

and Seal this 19th day of February in ye year of our 
Lord one thousand six hundred & eighty eight, eighty 
nine. 

Signed Sealed and 

Delivered in presence The mark of George 

of us Robbins @ 

Samuel Miriam 

Juda Potter 

Joseph Estabrook, junr. 

This is a tru Copy of ye will of George Robins, Esq. 
was Exhibited in Court October 1, 1689 & proved 

Att: Sam" Phipps, Cler." 

Will of Joanna Gleason 

"I, Joanna Gleason, of Sudbury, in the county of 
Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, widow, 
do make, publish and declare this my last will and testa- 
ment, hereby revoking all other wills by me at any time 
heretofore made. 

After the payment of my just debts and funeral 
expenses, I give, devise and bequeath as follows, viz: 

First. I give to the Town of Carlisle, in said Middle- 
sex County, the sum of Seven Thousand Dollars ($7000), 
to be kept safely invested and the income thereof to be 
annually distributed by the selectmen for the time being, 
or under their direction, in their discretion, among the 
needy inhabitants of that town, who are not paupers, 
such distribution to be made without distinction of nation- 
ality or religion; also the sum of Six Hundred Dollars 
($600), to be kept safely invested and the income used 
for defraying the expense of taking care of the town 
clock. 

Second. I give to the First Congregational (Uni- 



144 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

tarian) Society in Carlisle, the sum of Ten Thousand 
Dollars ($10,000), and the sum of Five Thousand Dollars 
($5000) to the Orthodox Congregational Society in said 
town, said sums to be kept safely invested and the income 
thereof expended annually for the support of preaching 
in Carlisle. 

Third. I give to the Town of Carlisle aforesaid the 
sum of Three Hundred Dollars ($300) to be kept safely 
invested and the income thereof to be applied to the care 
and preservation of the lot of my father Major Jonas 
Parker, and the lot of my sister Olive Maria Parker, in 
the Green Cemetery, so called, in said town. 

Fourth. I give to Elizabeth B. Tolman, wife of 
George Tolman, of Concord in the County of Middlesex, 
the sum of One Thousand Dollars ($1000), and to her 
sister, Clara M. Adams, the sum of One Thousand Dol- 
lars ($1000); and to Dr. James E. Marsh, of Maynard, 
in said county, I give all my real estate in Sudbury, to 
him and his heirs and assigns forever. And in case of the 
decease of said legatees and devisee or any of them, 
during my lifetime, it is my will that said legacies shall 
be paid to the person or persons entitled by law to receive 
the personal estate of such deceased person, and that 
said devise shall take effect in favor of the heirs-at-law 
of said Marsh. 

Fifth. I give to the Unitarian Society and the 
Methodist Society, both in the center of said Sudbury, 
to each the sum of Three Thousand Dollars ($3000), and 
to the Orthodox Society at South Sudbury the sum of 
Three Thousand Dollars ($3000); said sums in each case 
to be kept safely invested, and the income to be expended 
annually for the support of preaching in Sudbury. 

Sixth. I give to the Mount Pleasant Cemetery 
Association in said Sudbury the sum of Five Hundred 
Dollars ($500) to be kept safely invested and the income 



SOME ANCIENT DOCUMENTS 145 

thereof to be annually expended in the care and preserva- 
tion of my lot and the monuments therein; the balance 
of said income, if any, to be applied to the improvement 
of that part of the cemetery which lies to the westward of 
the wall near lot numbered thirty- eight, supposed to 
belong to Martin Moore. 

Seventh. I direct my executor to procure and set 
up for me a head-stone just like my husband's, to be 
procured, if possible, from Andrews & Wheeler, of Lowell. 

Eighth. I give to the Goodman Improvement 
Society in said Sudbury the sum of Five Hundred Dol- 
lars ($500), to be kept safely invested and the income 
thereof to be expended annually for the purposes of the 
Society. 

Ninth. Of all the remainder and residue of my 
estate, I give one-half to the Town of Sudbury and one- 
half to the Town of Carlisle, the principal in each case 
to be kept safely invested and the income annually dis- 
tributed by the selectmen in their discretion among the 
needy inhabitants of said towns respectively who are not 
paupers, and without distinction of nationality or religion. 

Tenth. It is my will that the several funds provided 
for in this instrument shall be invested either in savings 
banks in Massachusetts, or in such manner as said 
savings banks may under the law invest their deposits. 

Eleventh. I hereby nominate Charles H. Walcott, 
of Concord, to be the executor of this my will, and request 
that he may be exempted from furnishing surety or 
sureties on his bond. In witness whereof I hereunto set 
mj^ hand and seal this first day of October in the year 
eighteen hundred and ninety-four. 

Joanna Gleason [seal] 
Sudbury October 1, 1894. 

Then the foregoing instrument was signed, sealed, 
published and declared by Joanna Gleason as and for 



146 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

her last will in the presence of us, who, at her request, 
in her presence, and in the presence of each other hereto 
set our names as witnesses. 

Hobart M. Noyes James E. Bent Joseph Lovering 
Commonwealth of Massachusetts 1 
Middlesex, ss. Registry of Probate / 
A true copy. 

Attest, F. M. Esty, 

Register." 

Stop Thief! 

"Broken open, on the night of the 20th of August 
instant, a store in Carlisle, belonging to Wheat and 
Green, out of which were taken several articles, among 
which were a wool hat, a light brown coat with pewter 
buttons, a double breasted chocolate colored jacket, 
several calf skins part cut, several pairs of mens shoes, 
and some womens leather ditto, several yards tow cloth, 
two pair tow trowsers, one pair never worn, several pair 
of brass sleave buttons and two raisors. 

It is supposed that there were two persons if no more 
concerned in the theft. 

Whoever will take up the thief or thieves, so that 
they may be brought to justice, or procure the stolen 
articles to be returned to the owners, shall be handsomely 
rewarded by 

Daniel Wheat, 
Nathan Green, Jun." 
Carlisle, August 21, 1789. 

Died in a Fit 

"Middlesex ss. an Inquisition Taken at Carlisle 
within the said County of middlesex on the tenth day of 
June in the year of our Lord one thousand Seven Hun- 



SOME ANCIENT DOCUMENTS 147 

dred and Ninety Eight before David Brown Gentleman 
one of the Coroners of the Commonwealth of Massachu- 
setts within the County of Middlesex aforesaid upon the 
vew of the Body of a certain black man with one wooden 
leg name unknown to us then and there Lying Dead 
in the District of Carlisle by the oaths of Zacheus Green 
Jonathan Blood Samuel Green Timothy Wilkins Nathan 
Crosby James Nickles William Spaulding Daniel Wheat 
John Green Amos Blood Reuben Durent Frederick Blood 
Job Nickles and James Wilkins . . . Good and Lawful 
men of the County aforesaid who being Charged and 
Sworn to inquire for our Commonwealth when and by 
what means and how the said Black man Come to his 
Death on their oaths do Say that the Said Black man 
was found Dead and it is the opinion of the jurors above 
named that he Died in a fit and we Suppose he has been 
Dead three weaks In witness whereof as well I the 
Coroner afore Said of the jurors above said to this Inqui- 
sition have interchangeably put our hands and Seals the 
Day and year above Said, 

I Zacheus Green [seal] 

Jonathan Blood [seal] 

Samuel Green [seal] 

Timothy Wilkins [seal] 

Nathan Crosby [seal] 

James Nickles [seal] 

William Spaulding [seal] 

Daniel W^heat [seal] 

John Green [seal] 

Amos Blood [seal] 

Reuben Durent [seal] 

Fredrick Blood [seal] 

Job Nickles [seal] 

James Wilkins [seal] 

David Brown a Coroner." [seal] 



148 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 



An Old Bill 



Copy of bill for church bell installed in the steeple 
of the Unitarian Church. 

"Boston, Feb'ry 8, 1858." 
Capt. Thomas Green & others, Carlisle, Mass. 
Bought of Henry N. Hooper & Co. 
No. 24 Commercial Street, 
1 Bell '''' & Tongue '' —1090 '''■ ^^ '' 327.00 

Yoke, Frame, Wheel & Standard 38.00 

$365.00 
By old Bell metal in exchange 798 '^ ^* ^^ 191.52 

Rec'd Payment $173.48 

Henry N. Hooper & Co." 

Deed of Meeting-House Pew 

"Know all men by these presents, that we, Asa 
Parlin, Nathan Green Jun. and Thomas Heald, all of 
Carlisle, in the county of Middlesex and commonwealth 
of Massachusetts, a committee duly chosen by the town 
of Carlisle to contract with some person or persons to 
build a meetinghouse in said town and to sell the pews 
in said house, the proceeds of the sales to be appropriated 
towards paying the expense of building said house, did 
on the nineteenth day of November, A.D. 1810, sell to 
Leonard Green, of said Carlisle, yeoman. Pew No. 43 on 
the lower floor in said House for the sum of forty-six 
dollars. 

Therefore we, the said Asa Parlin, Nathan Green 
Jun. and Thomas Heald, by virtue of the power and 
authority in us vested by said town, and in considera- 
tion of the sum aforesaid, paid to us in our capacity as 
committee, for the use aforesaid, by the said Leonard 
Green, the receipt whereof we do hereby acknowledge, 
do hereby sell and convey unto the said Leonard Green, 



SOME ANCIENT DOCUMENTS 149 

his heirs and assigns forever, to his and their use, so that 
neither the inhabitants of Carh'sle or any other person 
or persons shall molest him the said Leonard Green, his 
heirs or assigns in the quiet use and enjoyment of the 
same, according to the true intent and meaning of these 
presents, or anywise claim the same. 

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands 
and seals, in the capacity aforesaid, this twenty third 
day of December, in the year of our Lord one thousand 
eight hundred and eleven. 

In presence of Asa Parlin [seal] 

Sam'l Boynton Nathan Green Jr. [seal] 

Daniel Wheat Thomas Heald [seal] " 



Chapter X\^I 
RELIGIOUS MATTERS 

In the early history of our nation the church and the 
town were identical. Every town had a churcli, which it 
supported by taxation in the same manner as for the 
support of schools, highways and other town charges. 
In the case under consideration the meeting-house had 
existed for nearly twenty years previous to the incor- 
poration of the second district of Carlisle in the year 
1780. As will be remembered, the district of Carlisle as 
first incorporated ceased to exist after a short period 
because of the difficulty and final inability of the inhabi- 
tants to determine upon or "prefix" a location for a 
meeting-house. 

The same difficulty was obviated under the second act 
of incorporation, for during the interval between the 
existence of the first and second district a certain tract 
of land, nearly square in shape and containing one and a 
half acres, or a larger part of what is now known as the 
Common, was conveyed by deed to the inhabitants of 
the locality by one Timothy Wilkins, "for and in con- 
sideration of the love and regard that I have for the public 
worship of God, and the good of my neighbours and fellow 
cretures espetially the persons hereafter mentioned and 
named, for the covenancy of building a meeting-house for 
the public worship of God, and other public uses." 

The above-named instrument was dated July 1, 
1758. The gift vr.as a worthy one and should be the 
means of perpetuating the name of the donor to all 
future time. About two years later, or in the year 17C0, 

150 



RELIGIOUS MATTERS 151 

a meeting-house was built on the land given for the pur- 
pose, in order for the better accommodation for religious 
worship of those persons who lived on the outskirts of 
the several towns which found a center near said loca- 
tion, and who subsequently were included within the 
bounds of the second district of Carlisle. This gift of 
land was, of course, the nucleus for the establishment of 
the first meeting-house, the erection of which, it is more 
than probable, finally determined the location for the 
center of the present town of Carlisle. This building was 
erected by voluntary contributions, and stood a little to 
the northwest of what is now known as the Unitarian 
Church. It was a rude wooden structure, without clap- 
boards or paint, and having only benches for seats, in 
which condition it remained until the year 1780, when 
the second district of Carlisle was incorporated, and at 
which time it virtually became the property of the dis- 
trict by the consent of a committee of the society, to 
which many of the first petitioners belonged. It was 
mutually understood and agreed that all persons who 
should be incorporated with them in the proposed dis- 
trict should share equally all church privileges with those 
at whose expense the meeting-house had been erected, 
without being in any way liable for any expense incurred 
previous to the date of incorporation. 

No pastor was settled during this interval of twenty 
years, neither was there any church organization, and 
yet the gospel was preached from Sabbath to Sabbath 
and supported by the listeners, many of whom paid in 
addition their regular minister rates in the respective 
towns to which they belonged. Once in the month of 
August, 1764, it is claimed the celebrated English revival- 
ist and preacher, George Whitefield, preached from its 
south doorsteps to an audience far too large to be accom- 
modated within its walls; and tradition declares that 



15-2 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

from its portals on the nineteenth of April. 1775. nineteen 
men, assembled by the drum of Timothy Wilkins and 
the horn of James Kemp, started for Concord under the 
command of Lieut. James Russell and Samuel Heald. to 
engage in the fight at the Old North Bridge and finally 
to pursue the retreating foe back to Boston. 

During the year 17S1 money was expended upon the 
meeting-house in impro%"ing its appearance, and twenty- 
four pews were put in on the lower floor, replacing the 
original benches. These pews were sold by auction on 
November il, for the sum of nine hundred and fifty 
dollars, quoting from the town records: "At a Vendue 
appointed by the District of Carlisle for the Purpose of 
seUing the Pews in the Said Carhsle meeting house. 
Phineas Blood being appointed Vendue master."' The 
highest price paid was 866.50 for pew No. 18, by Dea. 
Ephraini Robbins, and the lowest price was 815, for 
pew No. 11, which was struck off to ^Ir. John Robbins. 
The amount received was appropriated toward paying the 
expense of putting in the new pews, and other necessarv' 
repairs which were made. 

At the annual March meeting of the inhabitants of 
the district in the year 1789, the eighth article in the 
warrant read as foUows: "To See if the District will 
agree to provide any Seats in the Meeting House for 
those who may be Disposed to Set together for the pur- 
{X)se of Singing.'' On consideration of this article it was 
"Voted that those who may be Disposed to set together 
for the purf>ose of Singing Shall have the two hind Seats 
below." These seats were probably occupied by the 
singers until the year 1798, when in response to a similar 
article in the warrant for the April meeting it was "Voted 
that the Singers have the fore seat and the Second Seat 
in the front galerv." 

Considerable money had been appropriated by the 



RELIGIOITS MATTERS 153 

town at one time and another to repair the original 
meeting-house up to the year 1810. A gallery had been 
built which contained nineteen pews that were sold for 
the sum of 858.1-2. The building had been clapboarded 
and painted, windows and window casings, as well as 
doors and door casings, had been repaired or replaced 
by new ones. Stone underpinning had been pro\'ided, 
which was brought from the town of Acton. A pulpit 
had been erected, porches at the east and west ends of 
the edifice had been built, and the ad\-isabihty of erecting 
a belfry and procuring and suspending a bell, was a 
question which had for some time agitated the minds of 
the worshipers. 

It was on the twenty-sixth day of May in the year 
last mentioned that this original meeting-house was 
struck by hghtm'ng and entirely consumed. Xine days 
later, on the fourth day of June, ISIO. at three o'clock 
in the afternoon, the inhabitants of the town qualified 
by law to vote in town affairs were warned to meet on 
the Common, near where the meeting-house formerly 
stood. The warrant for the meeting contained five 
articles, the first of which was **To see if the town will 
agree to build a meeting-house in Cariisle and decide 
upon the spot where it shall be erected." All the other 
articles had reference to the same subject. 

It is creditable to the moral and religious sentiment 
of the town that they did. at this meeting without pro- 
crastination, vote to rebuild the meeting-house, the 
building that in those early days accommodated all ci\-il 
and rehgious meetings. It was voted to erect it on the 
Common belonging to the town, near where the former 
meeting-house stood; and to make it a building about 
the size of the old one, but of modern design. 

Several committees were appointed and the meeting 
Tvas adjourned for three weeks, to meet at the same time 



154 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

and place. At the adjourned meeting Capt. Nathan 
Haywood, who had been chosen at the former meeting 
to procure a plan for the proposed new building, pre- 
sented one for the consideration of the town, for a building 
to be constructed of wood, which plan was accepted. 
Next it was voted that the building be finished in the 
Tuscan order, and that its erection be completed within 
one year from the first of the following November. A 
building committee of three were chosen by ballot, con- 
sisting of the following named persons: Asa Parlin, Esq., 
Nathan Green, Jr., and Mr. Thomas Heald. 

This committee were authorized by the town to let 
out the contract for building the meeting-house to those 
who would undertake it at the lowest figure, and give 
good security that they would complete the undertaking 
according to agreement. Said committee contracted 
with Mr. Elijah Stearns to prepare and set the under- 
pinning and doorsteps for the sum of $!235, and with 
Messrs. Joseph Wyman and John Sawyer, Jr., to erect 
the building for the sum of $4230. Several alterations 
from the original plan were subsequently made which 
added somewhat to the cost, which, together with various 
incidental charges including the charges for time spent 
by the committee, money paid for painting and number- 
ing the pews, trimming the pulpit and pulpit window, 
and a bill for liquor of $38.28, made the total cost of the 
edifice, as appears from the building committee's report, 
the amount of $4866.81. 

The town voted at the adjourned meeting held on 
the Common June 25, to raise the sum of two thousand 
dollars by taxation, to be applied toward the expense of 
building a new meeting-house; and subsequently voted 
to sell by public auction the pews which it was proposed 
to build, which were to be exhibited by a plan. The 
building committee were authorized by the town to give 



RELIGIOUS MATTERS 155 

deeds of the same, and the cash realized from the sale 
was to be appropriated toward paying for the new build- 
ing. There were forty-four pews on the lower floor, 
forty-three of which were sold. Following is a list of 
the original owners, and prices paid, copied from the 
town records: 

"An account of the sale of the pews in the meeting- 
house which the town of Carlisle have agreed to build 
which pews being exhibited by a plan were sold at public 
vendue on the 12th and 19th of November, 1810 as 
follows, viz." 

No. 1. Phineas Blood $105.00 

No. 2. Thomas Heald 80.00 

No. 3. Nathaniel Parker 80.00 

No. 4. Nathan Green 68.25 

No. 5. Zebulon Spaulding, Jr 60.25 

No. 6. Benjamin Foster 50.25 

No. 7. Abel Taylor 38.75 

No. 8. Nathaniel Hutchinson and Nathaniel 

Hutchinson, Jr 107.50 

No. 9. Samuel Green . 80.25 

No. 10. Samuel Brown 82.50 

No. 11. Lieut. Zebulon Spaulding 69.75 

No. 12. Capt. John Heald, Jr 60.25 

No. 13. Ezekiel Proctor 50.00 

No. 14. Silas and Asa Hartwell 39.00 

No. 15. Jonathan Heald, Esq 55.00 

No. 16. Samuel Boynton 47.00 

No. 17. Daniel Blood 49.25 

No. 18. Asa Parhn, Esq 44.50 

No. 19. Wilham Spaulding 40.25 

No. 20. Tilly Green 35.00 

No. 21. Fredrick Blood 34.50 

No. 22. Deacon Ephraim Robbins 51.50 

No. 23. Timothy Wilkins 46.25 



156 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

No. 24. Abijah Hodgman $42.50 

No. 25. John Green 43.75 

No. 26. Thomas Heald 40.00 

No. 27. Joseph Heald 35.25 

No. 28. Benjamin Barrett 32.00 

No. 29. Solomon Andrews 41.00 

No. 30. Lieut. Jonas Parker 57.50 

No. 31. Jonathan Heald, Jr 37.25 

No. 32. Reserved 

No. 33. Isaac Blanchard 65.00 

No. 34. John Jacobs 37.75 

No. 35. John Hodgman 50.50 

No. 36. Lieut. Daniel Wheat 60.25 

No. 37. Thomas Hodgman 45.25 

No. 38. John Wilkins 42.00 

No. 39. James Russel 40.25 

No. 40. Lieut. Zebulon Spaulding 56.00 

No. 41. Capt. Timothy Heald 68.00 

No. 42. Deacon John Robbins 46.50 

No. 43. Leonard Green 46.00 

No. 44. Fredrick Blood 40.00 



Total $2,301.75 

At the same time sixteen pews were sold in the gallery 
for the sum of $444.75 One pew back of the door on 
the left-hand side of the gallery was by vote of the town 
appropriated for the use of people of color. There was 
a total amount of $2746.50 received from the sale of 
pews, to be applied toward the building fund. The 
sum of fifty dollars was also raised for the purpose of 
decorating the pulpit, which, added to the previous 
amounts, would leave a deficiency to be provided for of 
less than seventy-five dollars. 

In connection with the previously mentioned vote 



RELIGIOUS MATTERS 157 

of the town to raise two thousand dollars to be appro- 
priated toward the cost of rebuilding the meeting-house, 
it was also voted that the assessors make a separate tax 
for said amount, and that all denominations be assessed 
for said purpose. It appears that there were quite a 
number of persons of the Baptist persuasion who wor- 
shiped in Chelmsford and Billerica, or elsewhere, living 
within the town, and that it had been customary for the 
town to abate what was known as their minister rate 
from year to year, which they were supposed to pay in 
the town where they worshiped. They considered it to 
be unreasonable to levy a tax on them for the purpose 
of helping to build a meeting-house in which they would 
seldom if ever worship, and which tax, added to the sum 
they were in the habit of paying at their usual place of 
worship, would prove burdensome indeed. They finally 
made these grievances known to the town, and asked 
for redress. The town, in consideration of the situation, 
appointed a committee of three persons to confer with 
the Baptist voters, and if possible to bring about some 
amicable settlement of the affair. 

The proposition made by a part of the Baptists was 
"that in consideration of the meeting-house being used 
for civil purposes also, they proposed to pay one-half of 
the sum they were assessed for in the meeting-house tax." 
This proposition was favorably entertained by the town's 
committee, who, acting in behalf of the town, granted 
these terms, not only to those who proposed them, bait 
to all Baptists who lived within the limits of the town 
and worshiped in other towns. 

In consideration of the great loss sustained by the 
town in the unfortunate occurrence of their meeting- 
house being struck by lightning and entirely consumed, 
and because of the burdensome tax upon the inhabitants 
to provide the necessary funds to erect another, the 



158 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

state tax, amounting to $154.66 for the year 1810, was, 
by an act of the General Court, remitted to the town. 

During the time the new meeting-house was in 
process of erection rehgious services were held at the 
private residences of several inhabitants of the town. 
Messrs. John Green and James Kemp supplying the 
need part of the time. The latter in one or more instances 
furnished a room in which to hold town meetings, which 
were also during the interval, held in Daniel Wheat's hall, 
Isaac Blaisdell's wheelwright shop, and four times on 
the Common. 

A little idea of the external appearance of the new 
meeting-house, as it appeared when completed and turned 
over to the town by the building committee, may be 
formed when we consider that it was the same building 
which is at the present time (1920) known as the Uni- 
tarian Church, but at that time having no bell, and with 
a spire much less elaborate than the present one. If the 
vote of the town as recorded was carried into effect, the 
building was originally painted as follows: The body a 
light straw color, with white trimmings; the roof painted 
chocolate color, and the doors imitation mahogany. 

At an adjourned town-meeting, held according to 
adjournment, on the Common, November 18, 1811, about 
the time of the completion of the new building, it was 
voted, "that the Meeting-house be dedicated to Almighty 
God, on the second Sabbath of December following, and 
also that the town give those persons who may go and 
work at the meeting-house, to clear away the chips and 
trash around the same what drink they may need." The 
religious services at the dedication were conducted by 
the pastor. Rev. Paul Litchfield. The annual town- 
meeting called for Monday, March 2, 1812, was the first 
one held in the new building after its erection, and on 
the following month the town voted to raise the sum of 



KELIGIOUS MATTERS 159 

three hundred and fifty dollars to procure a bell for the 
meeting-house, choosing Messrs. Thomas Heald and 
Frederick Blood as a committee to purchase said bell. 
After the bell was purchased and placed in position, it 
was customary to vendue the ringing of the same annually. 
Beside ringing the bell on Sabbath days for the religious 
services, the requirements usually were that it should be 
rung at noon each week day. For several years, however, 
a departure from this rule was observed, inasmuch as 
the contract required that it should be rung for the first 
six months, reckoning from April 1, on each weekday 
at noon, and that it be rung for the remainder of the 
year at nine o'clock in the evening. 

In the year 1826 this undertaking was bid off by 
Capt. Aaron Fletcher for the sum of $14.50, which was 
about an average of prices paid in former years. The 
duties, beside ringing the bell ten minutes each time, 
included sweeping and dusting the church when necessary, 
and also clearing away the snow in the winter time. 
Mr. Isaac Duren probably undertook this service more 
times than any other person, and often at a very low 
figure; for instance, in the year 1823 he took the contract 
for the sum of $3.75, and the following year for $3, 
which would appear to be almost equal to giving his 
services in this direction. A consideration included in 
this contract, however, was that the person undertaking 
it should dig all the graves, and go with the hearse if 
requested, for which service the sum of two dollars was 
allowed which was an item taken into consideration when 
bidding for ringing the bell. 

In the year 1815 the town voted "to purchase a 
Bass Viol to be kept in the meeting-house for the purpose 
of aiding the singing." 

At the annual April meeting in the year 1824 a vote 
was passed authorizing and appointing the selectmen a 



160 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

committee to take down the curtains around the pulpit 
window, which had probably hung there since the erec- 
tion of the building and were doubtless faded by the 
sunlight of the thirteen intervening years, so they prob- 
ably had ceased to be ornamental. 

On the following month, at a special town meeting, 
it was "voted to give the inhabitants of the town liberty 
to erect horse stables on the Common, between Lieut. 
Zebulon Spaulding's Noon House, and the road south 
of the meeting-house." A committee of three persons 
were chosen at the same meeting, to look after the interests 
of the town, as well as the privileges of the individuals 
who might desire to avail themselves of the opportunity 
granted. This committee presented bills to the town 
for services performed, but whether sheds were erected 
to shelter teams used to convey Sabbath worshipers is 
uncertain. 

At the annual April meeting in the year 1825 it was 
voted to paint the meeting-house and money was voted 
for said purpose; also a committee of three, Mr. John 
Jacobs, John Nelson, Esq., and Mr. Paul Forbush, were 
chosen to carry the vote into effect. 

A meeting of the voting members of the First Parish 
in Carlisle was called for Thursday, December 6, 1832, 
to assemble in the meeting-house. The warrant con- 
tained four articles, the latter reading as follows: "To see 
if said parish will take any method to purchase a stove 
for the meeting-house, or act as they may think proper." 
It was "Voted to choose a committee of three to purchase 
a stove and put it into the meeting-house. Chose Capt. 
Thomas Green, John Nelson and James W. Wilkins, 
said committee." 

At a meeting of the members of the First Parish in 
Carhsle, held in the meeting-house on Monday, March 4, 
1833, it was "Voted that 523^ dollars be taken from the 



J 



RELIGIOUS MATTERS 161 

ministerial fund to pay for the stove and putting up the 
same." 

These proceedings probably refer to the first means 
of heating ever installed in the Carlisle meeting-house, 
also to the names of the committee, and the expense 
incurred. 

At an adjourned meeting of the members of the 
First Religious Society, held in the meeting-house, 
Tuesday, March 8, 1842, it was "voted that the meeting- 
house be opened for no other purpose than religious 
worship and on no occasion for Anti-slavery discussion, 
except by vote of the society." 

At the annual meeting of the First Religious Society 
held in the meeting house, Saturday, April 22, 1848, it 
was "voted to repair and paint the meeting-house on 
the outside, and to levy a tax of two hundred and fifty 
dollars on the pews to defray the expense. Capt. Thomas 
Green, William Green, 2d., J. W. Wilkins, Artemas 
Parker and Jefferson Nickles were chosen a committee 
to superintend the repairs, " which, according to their 
final report cost the society $264.62. 

In January, 1852, an association of ladies, known 
as the "Ladies Union," projected a subscription to raise 
funds to alter and repair the meeting-house, and headed 
the same with the sum of one hundred dollars. "In 
consideration of this effort, the members of the parish 
were notified to assemble in parish meeting Feb. 7, 1852, 
to act on the subject. On motion of Stephen Taylor, 
voted that it is expedient to repair the outside of the 
meeting house and so to alter the inside as to fit the 
upper room for public worship, and the lower room for 
a public hall." A committee was chosen to estimate 
the cost and submit plans for the proposed alterations. 
Their report was rendered at a meeting of the members 
of the parish assembled at the meeting-house on March 2, 



162 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

1852. The cost was estimated at $1060, the report was 
accepted, and it was "voted that Thomas Green, Cyrus 
Heald and Benjamin Barrett be a committee to receive 
proposals for repairing and altering the meeting-house, 
and that they submit the same to the parish at its next 
regular meeting," which meeting was called for May 10, 
1852, and adjourned to May 17 following, at which 
meeting Mr. Benjamin Barrett from the committee 
reported "that they had received sealed proposals from 
several individuals, but that they did not deem it for 
the interest of the parish that their contents should be 
made public, further than to state generally that the 
amount stated therein would not much exceed the sum 
already subscribed to meet the expense of said alterations 
and repairs." 

It was "Voted to accept the foregoing report, and to 
authorize the committee to contract with some person 
to make said alterations and repairs according to the 
plan submitted at the parish meeting on the second day 
of March last, and that they have the general manage- 
ment and superintendence of the matter till it is com- 
pleted." 

A parish meeting was called for October 11, 1852, 
to be held at the meeting-house. The warrant contained 
six articles to be acted upon. The first was "to hear 
and act upon the final report of the committee chosen 
to superintend the alterations and repairs of the meeting- 
house." At this meeting very little business was trans- 
acted, and it was "voted to adjourn to Saturday evening 
next, at six o'clock." At the adjourned meeting it was 
"voted to transfer the meeting to the home of Artemas 
Parker." Capt. Thomas Green from the committee 
for repairs, reported "that the committee had caused 
the meeting-house to be altered and repaired according 
to the plan and specifications submitted to and accepted 



RELIGIOUS MATTERS 163 

by the Parish, at their parish meeting held on the second 
day of March last, that in accomplishing the object they 
had paid to several parties bills amounting to $1013.74 
and that they had received from the Ladies Union sub- 
scriptions $975.00, and for old lumber sold $0.00, a total 
of $981.00, leaving a balance due the committee of 
$32.74. Voted to accept the report and discharge the 
committee from further service." This meeting was 
adjourned to Monday, October 25, at the meeting-house, 
at which meeting, on motion of Capt. Levi S. Hutchinson, 
relative to the above uncollected balance, it was "voted 
that the amount be raised by a contribution on the spot." 
Thirty-three dollars was immediately contributed and 
the balance paid. 

At a parish meeting held in the meeting-house, 
January 29, 1853, a committee previously appointed to 
consider the advisability of fitting up the lower part of 
the meeting-house, "reported that they deemed it expe- 
dient that said room should be made into a hall and con- 
venient anterooms, and that the expense of doing it 
would, according to their estimate, be $157.50, exclusive 
of stoves and furniture." Accordingly it was voted that 
the work be done, and also "voted that J. W. Wilkins, 
Benjamin Barrett and Thomas Heald be a committee to 
carry the foregoing vote into effect." 

At a parish meeting held in Union Hall, which was 
the name given to the newly constructed room, on 
October 22, 1853, the report of the parish clerk gave the 
expense incurred for the above purpose as follows: 
Repairing hall, $151.89; stove and fixtures, $53.73; total, 
$205.62. 

A meeting of the members of the First Religious 
Society in Carlisle was held in Union Hall, Saturday 
evening, February 15, 1857. The fourth article in the 
warrant warning the meeting read as follows: "To see 



164 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

if the Parish will procure a bell." Action was taken as 
follows: "Voted that Thomas Green, Levi S. Hutchinson, 
James W. Wilkins, Benjamin Barrett and B. F. Heald 
be a committee to procure a new bell. That said com- 
mittee be authorized to take such measures to raise money 
for that purpose as they may think proper." 

A warrant warning the members of the Parish to 
meet at Union Hall, April 15, 1858, contained but two 
articles: Article II was "to hear and act on the report 
of the committee chosen to procure a bell." B. F. Heald, 
from the committee appointed to raise funds and pur- 
chase a bell, reported that "said committee had raised 
by subscription among members of the society, for the 
purpose of paying for a bell, the sum of $231.50, and 
that they sold the old bell for $191.52, making a sum 
total of $423.02." He further reported that "said com- 
mittee on the eighth day of February last, purchased of 
Henry N. Hooper & Co. of Boston, a bell weighing 1090 
lbs. for $327.00 for yoke, frame, wheel and standard 
$38,00, that they paid James W. Wilkins for teaming old 
bell to Boston, repairing belfry and hanging bell $16.50, 
and to Levi S. Hutchinson for carrying committee to 
Boston $3.00; making a total expenditure of $384.50, 
leaving a balance in the hands of the committee of $38.52." 
This amount was appropriated, and the report accepted, 
and ordered to be recorded. Certain minor repairs were 
made on the exterior of the meeting-house in the year 
1867. 

At the annual meeting held February 29, 1868, a 
committee previously appointed to repair the inside of 
the meeting-house, "reported through Rev. J. S. Smith, 
their chairman, that they had painted, papered and 
otherwise repaired the inside of the meeting-house at 
an expense of $388.58, including $61.00 paid for stoves, 
and $23.89 for lamps." 




UNITARIAN M K KTING-HOL SE 



RELIGIOUS MATTERS 165 

At an adjourned meeting of the Society, held Satur- 
day, March 7, 1868, under Article VIII in the warrant 
it was "voted that Benjamin Barrett, Rev. J. S. Smith 
and Gilman Nickles be a committee to ascertain the con- 
dition of the spire of the church and report at the next 
parish meeting what repairs are necessary," At the 
annual parish meeting held February 27, 1869, the work 
appears to have been completed, as a spire debt of seven 
hundred dollars was reported. Thus the original spire, 
which had stood for fifty-seven years, yielded to its 
successor. 

At a meeting of the members of the Society held 
FebruJary 21, 1881, it was "voted that the parish com- 
mittee be, and they are hereby instructed to cause to be 
erected on the society's land, on the south side of the 
church, and parallel therewith, and at such distance from 
it as they may determine, a row of horse sheds, to contain 
eight distinct sheds." The sheds thus indicated were 
erected and paid for by money raised at a social levee 
held on the preceding January, and by personal subscrip- 
tions. 

At an adjourned parish meeting held on March 3, 
1900, plans were presented for excavating under the 
meeting-house for the purpose of installing a dining-hall, 
kitchen, two cloak rooms and two toilet rooms, at a cost 
not to exceed seven hundred dollars. Messrs. J. S. 
Anthony, E. B. Rose and D. W. Robbins were chosen 
as a committee to attend to the duties involved, which 
they did, and which resulted in additions and accommo- 
dations much needed and largely appreciated. Also on 
December 17, of the same year bj^ vote of the parish a 
furnace was installed in the basement for heating the hall 
and church. 

The second meeting-house erected in Carlisle was 
completed and "dedicated to Almighty God on the second 



166 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

Sabbath of December, 1811." The religious services at 
the dedication were conducted by the first pastor of the 
town, Rev. Paul Litchfield. 

After one hundred years that had been more or less 
eventful, the centennial anniversary was observed with 
appropriate services in the building on December 20, 
1911, attended by a large gathering of townspeople and 
others, with the following program: 

Morning Service 
Voluntary, from "Rebecca," Organist, Fred E. Robbins. 
Prayer, Pastor Congregational Church, Rev. Philip A. Job. 
Hymn, "Come Thou Almighty King." 
Scripture Reading, Rev. Louis B. McDonald, Concord. 
Prayer, Rev. E. C. Abbott of Boston. 

Solo, " The Homeward Way, ' ' Miss Marion Bickf ord. 
Historical Address, Pastor, Rev. Granville Pierce. 

Address, Rev. E. C. Abbott. 

Hymn. 

At the close of the morning exercises a bountiful 
dinner was served in the vestry by the ladies of the 
church. 

Afternoon Service 
Organ Prelude, "Pilgrims' Chorus" Mr. Robbins. 

Solo, Gounod's "Repentance" Miss Bickford, 

Address, Rev. Lewis Wilson, Secretary of the A. U. A. 
Addresses by neighboring pastors. 
Solo. 
Hymn. 
Benediction by the pastor. 

The auditorium was tastefully decorated with flags, 
evergreen and carnations, presenting a most inviting 
appearance. The original communion service was on 
exhibition. The committee in charge of the anniversary 
observance were George E. Wilkins, chairman, Miss 
Edna F. Currier, Miss Lillian Ricker, Mrs. Ernest Wilson, 



RELIGIOUS MATTERS 167 

Mrs. Lucy M. Blaisdell, Capt. H. W. Wilson, Charles 
Forbush and James H. Wilkins. 

Two Old Documents 

Two manuscripts one hundred and ten years old, 
grown yellow with age but on the whole fairly well pre- 
served, have recently come to light, and reve&/l valuable 
information about the birth of the First Parish meeting- 
house now (1920) standing in Carlisle. The first of 
these papers, entitled, "Obligation for building a Meeting- 
house," is a very inclusive contract for the erection of 
the above-named building, and cannot be given in full 
as it has been mutilated by the removal of the names of 
the contracting, parties; consequently only a synopsis 
embodying the important features are given. 

"Obligation for Building a Meeting House Dated 
Oct. 2, 1810, by and between Joseph Wyman and John 
Sawyer, Houserights, bpth of Templeton, Worcester Co. 
Mass. on one part, and Asa Parlin, Nathan Green, Jun. 
and Thomas Heald, all of Carhsle, Middlesex Co. Mass. 
a committee for and in behalf of said town of Carlisle on 
the other part, witnesseth that the said Joseph Wyman 
and John Sawyer for the consideration of $4230. do 
covenant with the said committee aforesaid to find 
materials and build a Meeting-house in said Carlisle, 
and finish the same including painting, agreeably to the 
plan exhibited, and which was made out by Capt. Nathan 
Haywood." 

Here follows a very minute and complete detail of 
specifications and conditions of payment, also the require- 
ment that the work be completed by November 1, 1811. 
The signatures of the contracting parties were witnessed 
by Daniel Wheat and Ezekiel Nickles. 

The second paper, entitled "Account of the Expense 
of Building the Meeting-House, &c.," is given verbatim. 



168 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

"Expense of building a Meetinghouse in Carlisle. 

The Underpinning & Door steps $235.08 

Contract for the House 4230.00 

Extra work in the pulpit and brestwork 25.00 

Two pilasters and diminishing some other work 6.00 

Re-building the gallery stairs 10.00 

Altering the pulpit window .50 

Putting on some reed work under the upper 

cornice inside 3.50 

Repairing the projection floor 2.00 

Putting on window springs .72 

Repairing the gallery windows 1.50 

An oval board to put a date on 2.50 

To building two pews in the corners of the 

gallery instead of seats 2.00 

To altering the alley in the front gallery .50 

To putting some boards under the doors on the 

upper door step 0.66 

Interest on the third payment 11.12 

To whitewashing the plastering 7.00 

To John Page for coming to examine some of 

the work .75 

William Washburn's account for liquor at the 
vendue of the pews and which the com- 
mittee had at sundry times 13.81 

Expense of work done at the Meetinghouse spot 
wharfing up & preparing for the under- 
pinning &c 71.58 

Capt. Ezekiel Nickles account for liquor at the 
vendue of the pews, and for those who 
worked at the Meetinghouse spot & com- 
mittee 24.47 

J. C. Wilkins account for painting & numbering 

the pews 33.33 

and putting a date on the house &c 3.50 



RELIGIOUS MATTERS 169 

To cash paid for window springs $6.33 

To interest on the last payment to Wynian & 

Sawyer 4.31 

To blanks for pew deeds 2.00 

To Aaron Fletcher for some work done .25 

For the scrapers at the doors and setting 

them 2.63 

To some plank and screws -18 

To the use of a scow at the Meetinghouse 

spot -^^ 

To locks and some other irons to fasten the 

inside doors 1-85 

Interest supposed due to Nathan Green Jun. 10.00 

For sundry articles for the trimming of the 

pulpit window as may appear by the bill . 66.96 

To Zadoc Wilkins for a journey to Boston 

with horse and chaise to purchase said 

articles • • ^-^^ 

To the wife of James Wilkins for making said 

trmimmg • ^"'^ 

To Paul Forbush for work done about the pulpit 

and pulpit window in order to receive the 

• 1 34< 

trimmmg ^ •"-'"* 

To some cotton and other articles found about 

the trimming l-^"* 

To Paul Forbush for seating the projection 

building, a desk, levelling up the floor, &c. l-t.50 

To Asa Parlin for his account as one of the com- 
mittee -5-5^ 

To Nathan Green Jun. for his account as one 

of the committee 17. "^J 

To Thomas Heald for his account as one of 

the committee -v.^ • 

Total «-*860.81 



170 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

The following sums of money have been appropriated 
by the town to pay the foregoing expense, viz. : 

Raised by a tax $2000.00 

The amount of what the pews were sold for. . . 2759.75 
Raised for the trimming of the pulpit &c 50.00 

Total $4809.75 

Deficiency $57.06" 

First Religious Society 

The church of the First Religious Society was organ- 
ized February 28, 1781, and then consisted of ten male 
and twenty female members. Following is the original 
covenant and the names attached to it, copied from the 
early church records. 

"We the subscribers, apprehending ourselves called 
of God to form ourselves into a chh. state, in order to our 
enjoying his word and ordinances, do for that purpose, tho 
we own ourselves unworthy to be so highly favored and 
privileged of heaven, yet humbly depending upon the 
unmerited grace of God to assist and help us, enter into 
the following covenant with God and one another. 

1. Proffessing our faith in the sacred scriptures, as 
given by inspiration of God, we engage in dependence upon 
the gracious influence and assistance of the glorious head 
of the chh. to make them the rule and standard of our 
faith and practice: and for the preservation and promotion 
of peace and good order among us, we will adopt and 
submit to that mode of discipline, which is observed by the 
regular churches of New England, of the congregational 
persuasion, so far as the same shall appear to us consistent 
with the holy rules of the gospel. 

2. We recognize the covenant of grace, in which we 
acknowledge ourselves professedly devoted to the fear 



RELIGIOUS MATTERS 171 

and service of the great and glorious God, and to the Lord 
Jesus Christ, the high priest, prophet and king of his 
chh., unto whose conduct we submit ourselves, thro' whom 
alone we hope for grace and glory: and to whom we bind 
ourselves in an everlasting covenant never to be broken. 

3. We give ourselves up one to another in the Lord, 
resolving by his help to treat each the other as fellow 
members of the same body; to walk in brotherly love 
together, and to watch over one another for mutual 
edification; to subject ourselves to all the holy adminis- 
trations appointed by him who is the head of the chh. and 
to give our constant attendance upon all the public 
ordinances of Christ's institution, walking orderly as 
becometh saints. 

4. We acknoledge our posterity to be included with 
us in the gospel covenant, and look upon ourselves as 
obliged to devote our infant offspring to God in baptism, 
and thanksgivings to God for his goodness, in including 
our children with us in the same covenant. We promise 
with the greatest care and diligence to bring them up in 
the nurture and admonition of the Lord. 

5. We do furthermore promise to be careful to our 
utmost to keep up all the ordinances of God among us ; and 
to admit to our communion all such as dwell among us if 
in a judgment of charity we can be satisfied they are 
qualified therefor; and also to walk in all regular and due 
communion with other churches of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
And now since we have thus bound ourselves to God and 
one another, may the good Lord pity us, pardon our 
frailties, and humble us out of all confidence in ourselves: 
may the grace of Christ, which is sufficient for us, be 
afforded unto us: and may he, who is the great shepherd 
and bishop of souls, lead us into the paths of truth and 
righteousness for his name sake, and at the last, receive 
us all to his heavenly kingdom. Amen. 



172 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

We the subscribers assent to the above covenant, and 
do, in testimony thereof, hereunto set our hands this 
28 day of February 1781." 

Nathaniel Taylor & 
Elisabeth his wife 
Joseph Munroe 
John Green & 
Martha his wife 
Phinehas Blood & 
Sarah his wife 
Joshua Munroe & 
Ruth his wife 
Elisabeth Chase 
Agness Foster 
Mercy Munroe 
Abigail Parlin 
Rebecka Heald 
Jonathan Spaulding 
Thomas Spaulding & 
Mary his wife 
Job Spaulding & 
Lydia his wife 
John Robbins & 
Sarah his wife 
Mary Robbins 
Martha Barrett 
Sybil Robbins 
Sarah Parlin 
Susanna Heald 
Sarah Wheeler 
Sarah Parlin 
David Dickinson & 
Persis his wife 
"Feb, 28, 1781. The before named persons being 
incorporated into a chh. -state, the brethren 



RELIGIOUS MATTERS 173 

1. Made choice of Thomas Spaulding as moderator of 
the chh. 

2. Made choice of Jonathan Spaulding as Scribe. 

3. Made choice of John Robbins, Timothy Wilkins and 
Joseph Munroe J", to set or tune the Psahns in times 
of pubHc worship; and of Capt. Sam'. Heald and 
Phinehas Blood to read the psalm or hymns at such 
times. Then adjourned." 

On May 17, 1781, the church voted unanimously to 
invite Mr. Paul Litchfield to become their first pastor, and 
at a meeting held May 25, the inhabitants of the district, 
by a vote of forty-three to three, agreed to concur with 
the vote of the church, and also voted to give Mr. Litch- 
field the sum of one hundred and fifty pounds as a settle- 
ment, one-half of which sum it was voted to pay him 
within one year from the date of his acceptance of the 
call, and the balance in two years. It was also voted to 
give him as a salary the sum of eighty pounds yearly, to 
be paid in quarterly instalments, "so long as he shall 
supply the pulpit in said Carlisle and remain their Gospel 
minister," both of said amounts to be paid in silver 
money. 

At a subsequent meeting it was voted to give Mr. 
Litchfield twenty cords of wood a year, and to keep two 
cows and a horse for him " until such time as he shall call 
for the interest of his settlement." 

The church decided upon November 7 as a date that 
would be agreeable for them to have the ordination of Mr. 
Litchfield take place; and at a meeting held October 3, 
the inhabitants of the district voted to join with the 
church as to the date they had selected. 

Mr. Litchfield having accepted the invitation of 
the church in Carlisle to become their pastor, the members 
of said church met at the home of Capt. John Green for 
the purpose of choosing an ecclesiastical council to ordain 



174 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

the said Mr. Litchfield to the work of the gospel ministry 
among them, and voted to request the assistance of the 
following churches by their pastors and delegates: The 
churches of Christ in Billerica, Bedford, Concord, Acton 
Westford, Ashby, Second Church in Scituate, Abington, 
Second Church in Medway, Franklin, North Church in 
Newburyport, and the church in Salem of which Rev. 
Daniel Hopkins was pastor. 

The service of ordination took place on the date 
mentioned, with the following order of exercises: 

Introductory prayer, Rev. Matthew Scribner of 
Westford. 

Sermon from I Cor. iv: 2, "Moreover it is required 
in stewards, that a man be found faithful." Rev. Samuel 
Niles, of Abington. 

Prayer during the imposition of hands, Rev. Nathaniel 
Emmons of Franklin. 

Charge to the pastor, Rev. David Sanford, of 
Medway. 

Right hand of fellowship. Rev. Samuel Spring of 
Newburyport. 

Concluding prayer, Rev. Samuel Whitman of Ashby. 

The first communion service, which was originally 
voted to be observed on December 31, 1781, was twice 
postponed and was finally observed on the second Sabbath 
of January, 1782; and by vote of the church was "to be 
administered statedly the second Sabbath in every other 
month." 

By vote of the church, candidates for admission to 
membership were required to give a written or verbal 
relation of their religious experiences before the church 
or congregation. This embarrassing requirement was 
so modified two years later as to permit it to be made 
before a committee of the church. 

At a meeting of the church, November 29, 1781, at 



RELIGIOUS MATTERS 175 

the home of Mr. Isaac Wilkins, "Choice was made of 
brother John Robbins to make provision for the sacra- 
ment of the Lord's Supper, and to assist at its admin- 
istration. Also voted that there be a contribution 
immediately after the sacrament, that each member 
contribute 8 pence, and each person set their name to 
the same. Voted that brother John Robbins be desired 
to lead in singing on days of public worship, and in case 
of his absence that either Mr. Timothy Wilkins, Mr. 
Jonas Spaulding or Mr. Asa Parlin be desired to take the 
lead." 

The doctrine contained in the confession of faith 
and preached by Mr. Litchfield was strictly Calvinistic, 
yet coinciding in some points with that system of theology 
known as Hopkinsianism. Mr. Litchfield was the eldest 
of twelve children, and born of respectable parents in 
Scituate, Mass., March 12, 1752, His youth was marked 
by sober and exemplary deportment, and for warm 
attachment to the friends of evangelical truth. With an 
intention to qualify himself for the gospel ministry he 
entered Harvard College, and graduated in 1775. 

After he left college he studied theology with the 
Rev. Dr. Stephen West of Stockb ridge, Mass., and was 
soon licensed to preach the gospel. He supplied several 
congregations and was invited to settle in the ministry 
before his engagement in Carlisle. Here he performed 
his ministerial duties with general satisfaction to his 
parishioners. In his intercourse with the people he was 
kind, familiar, charitable and peaceful. He rejoiced at 
the prosperity of the church, and aided by his personal 
service and his wealth many of the great religious charities 
of the age. To the Massachusetts Domestic ^Missionary 
Society he bequeathed at his death a generous legacy. 

In his later years his personal appearance is described 
by one who knew him well as follows: He was tall, long- 



176 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

limbed, broad, but thin chested, with silver hair combed 
back and hanging gracefully down over his coat collar. 
He dressed in a black broad-skirted, curve-waisted coat 
with ministerial bands or ruffles. He wore a long vest 
and knee breeches, with knee-buckles, and long black 
silk hose. His shoes were large, and were also adorned 
with silver buckles three inches square; and crowning 
this elaborate costume was a three-cornered Continental 
hat. Contemporaries inform the writer that this Con- 
tinental dress was not uncommon in those days, but the 
instances where it was worn were the exceptions rather 
than the general rule, being oftener seen on dress occa- 
sions, or donned by persons of rank. 

Mr. Litchfield married for his first wife Miss Mary 
Bailey of Scituate, by whom he had six children, five 
sons and a daughter. The daughter died in childhood, 
and Mrs. Litchfield died July 27, 1809, aged sixty years. 
He married for his second wife Mrs. Sarah Capen of 
Braintree, October 12, 1811. The youngest son, Franklin 
Litchfield, was educated at Harvard College, and served 
as United States consul at Porto Cabello. 

An order given by the selectmen, dated December 11, 
1782, reads as follows: "That Mr. Isaac Wilkins, con- 
stable, shall keep in his own hands of the money he is to 
collect to support the gospel, the sum of three pounds 
three shillings, it being for keeping Mr. Litchfield's horse 
sixteen weeks and a half, and to find him house room 
six months from the time he was ordained." 



Litchfield Parsonage 

It appears that Mr. Litchfield paid rent to the 
above-named Wilkins for at least six months after his 
ordination, but during the most of his pastorate here he 
lived on what is familiarly known as the Litchfield place, 



EELIGIOUS MATTERS 177 

located on the Lowell road, a little more than a half mile 
north from the center of the town. This dwelling, which 
served for nearly forty-six years as the Litchfield par- 
sonage, is still standing (1920), and externally, and perhaps 
internally, is the same as when occupied by the first 
pastor. Here he lived happily during his long pastorate 
and here he died, November 5, 1827, in the full trust in 
that Christian faith which he had inculcated, and in 
the hope which the Christian religion inspires. The 
funeral took place November 9, two days after the forty- 
sixth anniversary of his ordination as pastor of the 
Carlisle church. 

The funeral sermon was preached by John H. Church, 
D.D., pastor of the church in Pelham, N. H., and was 
later printed in pamphlet form. The interment was 
made near the east center of the Central Burying Ground 
in the center of the town. A slate stone, about five feet 
tall by two and one-half feet wide, with pillars carved 
on either side, and a weeping willow tree shading an urn 
for top decoration, marks the spot, and the following 
inscription appears on the stone: 

"Erected to the memory of 

Rev. Paul Litchfield, 

Pastor of the church in Carlisle 

for the space of forty-six years, 

and deceased Nov. 5, 1827, 

Aet. 75 

"With firm discriminating mind, zealous for the dis- 
tinguishing doctrines of revelation, he stood fast in one 
spirit, striving for the faith of the gospel." 

A similar stone is erected to the memory of his first 
wife Mary, and stands close beside the former. The 
green leaves of the oak and poplar trees shade their 
graves from the burning rays of a summer sun; and in 
the fall drop these same leaves, as it were to form a 



178 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

mantle of protection from the sweeping and icy blasts 
of winter. It seems a fitting place for their ashes to 
rest, within sight, and also within hailing distance by the 
human voice, of the place where he proclaimed the 
gospel for forty-six long years, identified as he was with 
the district and the town in its infancy when poverty 
prevailed, and hardships had to be endured, and while 
the War of the Revolution was in progress. 

The more we learn of this man whose service was 
God's service, and who was one of the first to cast in his 
lot with the people of the district and town, and be 
settled over them as their spiritual adviser, as well 
as the one who has longest held a similar position in the 
history of the town, the more inclined are we to recognize 
his resting place as sacred ground, and to approach the 
spot with reverent step and bared head, even considering 
it a shrine never in any way to be desecrated, but always 
to be cared for and held in reverence and adoration. 



The Sermon 

Romans xiv: 7, 8. "For none of us liveth to himself, 
and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live 
unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord; 
whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's." The 
spirit of the devoted servant of Christ is here expressed. 
Here is the mark of his high calling in Christ Jesus. This 
is the self-denial, so much inculcated in the gospel, and 
so essential to a life in communion with God, and a meek- 
ness to glorify and enjoy him forever. 

The passage, in its connection, enforces the duty of 
Christians to receive each other as servants of the same 
Lord and engaged in the same cause; while sincerely 
differing in things not inconsistent with vital godliness. 
Notwithstanding their difference in minor things, they 



RELIGIOUS MATTERS 179 

were agreed in living, not to themselves, but to the Lord, 
as being entirely his, in life and in death. This is the spirit 
which we should ardently strive to possess. It should 
constantly be the object of our pursuit. It comprises, in 
substance, all our personal religion. It should be the main- 
spring of all our actions. Nothing should be done, without 
this spirit of entire devotedness to the Lord. 

The subject may be illustrated by describing this 
spirit; and showing its influence on the Christian in living 
and dying to the Lord, In describing this spirit, two 
thoughts occur; a feeling conviction that we belong to the 
Lord — and a purpose of heart to be wholly devoted to 
him. 

1. A feeling conviction that we belong to the Lord. — 
What truth is more sensibly felt by the fervent Christian? 
How forcibly it strikes his mind in every direction. What 
is not the Lord's, f* He hath made all things for himself. 
How must the lively Christian feel himself, and all he has, 
to be the Lord's, if he only considers him as his Maker, and 
Preserver, and the Giver of all his talents. In this view, 
he has nothing which he has not received of the Lord. 
And the whole is still the Lord's. What can the believer 
call exclusively his own.f* 

But the Lord has still higher and more endearing 
claims upon him. He bought him for himself. Ye are not 
your own; for ye are bought with a price. And what is this 
price .f^ Is it corruptible things? Is it silver and gold? No; 
it is the precious blood of Christ, The only begotten Son 
of God has been made a curse for him, and redeemed him 
from the curse of the law. The Son of God has loved him, 
and given himself for liim. Oh, let this truth be wrought in 
his mind by the exceeding greatness of Divine power, and 
how deep and habitual must be his conviction that he is 
not his d^vn, but the Lord's, to live, and to die to him? 

2. A purpose of heart to be wholly devoted to the 



180 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

Lord. Deny thyself, is the sweet command of Christ to 
every hmnble follower. His cheerful obedience to this 
command distinguishes him from the selfish and unholy. 
"Inordinate self-love is the ruling passion of their hearts, 
and the governing principle of their lives. They have but 
one interest, and that is their own. A supreme regard to 
their own happiness is the mainspring of all that they do 
for God, and of all that they do for themselves, and all that 
they do for their fellow men." This is the spirit of the 
world — of every false-hearted professor. 

In appearance he does much for God, for the Church, 
and for his fellow men. But his supreme regard is to him- 
self. He would make everything subserve his own interest, 
or honor, or enjoyment. Even the Lord himself must 
serve him. Nothing is right, unless it is for his good. All 
is well if his happiness is secure, or his benefit promoted. 
All his kindness to others is very partial and very limited, 
and intended chiefly for his own advantage and comfort. 

But how different is the ruling purpose of the devoted 
friend of Immanuel. What a different principle prompts 
him to act. And what is this principle, but the love of 
God.? This dethrones self, and subordinates all its inter- 
ests to the Divine glory. The love of God gives to the 
mind a single eye, and fills the body with light. It inspires 
due regard to every object. 

God is loved supremely, because he is supremely 
excellent; and his glory is the riches of all worlds. What 
can the Christian allow to interfere with the Divine glory .'^ 
What can he so ardently desire as this — "Father, glorify 
thy name." In this supreme love to God is involved sin- 
cere love to one's own soul, and to every neighbor. The 
two great commandments of love to God and to man 
stand, or fall, together. There is no obedience to one, 
without obedience to the other. 

The carnal mind, which is enmity to God, is enmity 



RELIGIOUS MATTERS 181 

to every soul of man. But love to God is love to every 
soul, for his sake. It seeks his glory in their salvation. 
Here is full scope for a self-denying spirit. How much 
will the zealous Christian sacrifice for Christ, that his 
name may be honored, and his people saved. How fixed 
will be his purpose to seek, not his own things, but the 
things which are Christ's. How little he will think of 
himself, and of all his private concerns, compared with 
the honor of his Saviour, and the interests of his ever- 
lasting kingdom. How cheerfully he will deny himself, 
take up his cross, and follow Christ. This is the prevailing 
purpose of his heart. For the love of Christ constrains 
him, to live not to himself, but to Him that died for him 
and rose again. 

I. The influence of this spirit on the Christian in 
life and in death. This influence he feels in all the relations 
of life. It governs him in his daily walk, and in the various 
circumstances, in which he is placed. 

1. It inclines him to have constant communion with 
God. The desire of his soul is to the Lord, and to the 
remembrance of his name. O God, thou art my God; 
early will I seek thee. My soul thirsteth for thee. My 
soul followeth hard after thee. This communion with God 
is his life. Prayer is his spiritual breath. As he renounces 
self and the world, his soul is assimilated to God as the 
fountain of excellence and his exceeding joy. Christ is 
precious to his soul as all his salvation and all his desire. 
Beholding, with open face, as in a glass, his glory, he is 
changed into his image, by his spirit, that dwelleth in 
him. Looking, not at things seen and temporal, but at 
things unseen and eternal, and coming to the mercy-seat 
in the name of Jesus as his Advocate with the Father, 
how fervent are his petitions for grace to serve the Lord 
with increasing vigor and delight. And can he pray in 
vain? This is the confidence that we have in him, that if 



182 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

we ask anything according to his will he heareth us. And 
if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask we know 
that we have the petitions that we desired of him. 

2. He is vigilant in keeping his heart. This must 
be kept with God. This is his due. Give me thine heart. 
What can be truly given to God, if this be withheld.? 
What can he accept, without the heart? But how great 
is its deceit and treachery .^^ What vigilance is requisite 
to keep himself in the love of God. How must he watch 
the motions of sin, the law in his members, which wars 
against the law of his mind, to bring him into captivity 
to the law of sin. How zealously he must strive to subdue 
his iniquities, that he may live entirely to the Lord. 
How careful he will be to know the state of his soul; 
whether he declines or advances in the Divine life; and 
whether he is pressing toward the mark for the prize 
of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. How can the 
self-denying Christian be regardless of these things? 
He makes cheerful sacrifices for his Redeemer. What 
can be withheld, which the Lord needs; or duty bids him 
give? Can he think much of labor or suffering in Christ's 
cause? Can he enjoy ease at the expense of his Saviour's 
honor? Can he count his life dear to himself, in glorifying 
his name? What can he love more than Christ? Christ 
is his all and in all. For him to live is Christ. Let the 
Saviour be honored; and it is enough; his mind is satisfied. 
How cheerfully he honors the Lord with his substance, 
and with the first fruits of his increase. This is the 
highest value of property. Its noblest use is to expend 
it for him who, though he was rich, yet for our sakes 
became poor, that we through his poverty might be rich. 
How can the devoted Christian retain it, when wanted 
to relieve the saints, to spread the gospel, to saves souls 
ready to perish, and to build the temple of the Lord. 
Whoso hath the world's goods and seeth his brother 



RELIGIOUS MATTERS 183 

have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion 
from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? What 
agreement can there be between a self-denying spirit 
and a heart of covetousness? How must the former seek 
the destruction of the latter? How can the spirit of 
Christ dwell in the avaricious mind? His temple shall 
not be a den of thieves; but the abode of love and kind- 
ness. His love shall fill the heart and yield its precious 
fruits. 

4. He that is devoted to the Lord is patient and 
resigned to his will. He feels himself at the Divine dis- 
posal. The Lord may do with him as it seemeth good 
in his sight. He has a right to appoint him his seasons 
of pain and sickness, of trouble and sorrow, as well as of 
ease and comfort. How willingly may the believer refer 
himself and all his concerns to the Lord. Here is his 
safety. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose 
mind is stayed on thee; because he trusteth in thee. 
Blessed is the man that endureth trials. He rejoices in 
hope of the glory of God; and not only so, but he glories 
in tribulation also; knowing that tribulation worketh 
patience; and patience experience; and experience hope. 
How cheering is the assurance that all things shall work 
together for good to them that love God; and that their 
light afflictions shall work out for them a far more exceed- 
ing and eternal weight of glory. All things are for their 
sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanks- 
giving of many redound to the glory of God. For a 
season they are in heaviness through manifold tempta- 
tions; that the trial of their faith, being much more 
precious than gold that perisheth, though it be tried with 
fire, might be found unto praise, and honor, and glory, 
at the appearing of Jesus Christ. Can the lively believer 
shrink from trials of such blessed tendency? Will he 
not rather count them his joy? Does he not need them, 



184 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

for his cleansing from sin? And will he not glory in hi^ 
necessities and distresses, that the power of Christ may 
rest upon him? 

5. He closes his mortal life to the honor of his Lord, 
As he has lived to him, so he dies to him. He may be 
in a strait, whether to remain here in the service of the 
Lord; or to be absent from the body and present with 
the Lord. But the question is not for him to decide. 
In a sweet, spiritual frame of mind, he does not wish to 
decide it. He leaves it wholly with the Lord. Precious 
in his sight is the death of his saints. In them he is 
glorified. His grace can shine in their dying hours. 
How much to his honor and praise is their humble trust 
in his merits; their confidence in his truth and love; their 
humility and penitence for sin; their joy in his name; 
and their animating hope that through him they shall 
sing the conqueror's song. In how lovely a manner do 
they complete their Christian course? They fall asleep 
in Jesus. They enter into his rest. They see him as he 
is. They are like him; and they shall serve him forever. 
Blessed are the dead, who die in the Lord. On this sub- 
ject, I remark: 

1. The devoted servant of Christ has decision of 
character. He is not seen in a neutral position. You 
are not in doubt whether he is on the Lord's side. You 
see him decided. You learn the purpose of his heart — 
"As for me, I will serve the Lord. By his grace, I am 
resolved to do it. His grace is sufficient for me. I can 
do all things in his strength. I have his promise that he 
will be with me." How firm and resolute may he be? 
Who shall defeat his purpose to obey and honor his Lord? 
The Lord is his strength; the word of God his guide; 
the glory of God his end. Grace binds him to the Lord. 
Can he serve another master? Can he consent to serve 
the law of sin? Sin is what he hates. He abhors that 



RELIGIOUS MATTERS 185 

which is evil. He dehghts in the law of God after the 
inward man. He walks in the law of the Lord. Hence 
his walk is uniform and consistent. His Christian char- 
acter he maintains in every circle, at home and abroad. 
In no place is he ashamed of Christ, of his truth, his 
cause, or his followers, or of his relation to him. God 
forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord 
Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, 
and I unto the world. 

2. The religion which involves no true self-denial 
is worthless in the Lord's sight. It lacks his spirit. 
How can he accept it? It does nothing for him in godly 
sincerity. It is all fleshly wisdom; the carnal mind which 
he abhors and condemns. It may make a fair show in 
the flesh. It may please its votaries. But what is its 
end? Will you embrace such a religion? Would you 
serve the Lotd only as your convenience or self-interest 
allows? Would you have an easy way to heaven? 
Would you go there in flowery paths, and be regaled, 
all the way, with roses without thorns? Must no tribu- 
lation attend you? Must there be no sacrifice required 
of you for the Lord, or for his cause? Must you be 
allowed to seek your own things, and neglect the things 
that are Christ's? Must your private concerns be 
regarded as of more worth than his kingdom, or souls 
bought with his blood? Would you never contend; 
much less contend earnestly for the faith once delivered 
to the saints; and never plead for such a life of godliness as 
condemns nominal and lukewarm professors? Would 
you be so easy and accommodating in your religion, that 
the ungodly shall commend you? But does this accord 
with the example of Christ and his Apostles? Is this 
living not to yourselves, but to the Lord? Is this striving 
to enter in at the strait gate; and to walk in the narrow 
way which leads to life everlasting? Is this to be a 



186 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

good and faithful servant of the Lord; and as such to be 
approved of him in the decisive day? Or is this to be a 
slothful and wicked servant whose end is destruction? 

3. The faithful in Christ Jesus are best known in 
times of peculiar trial. Then is the test of their char- 
acter. Then their Christian graces are called forth. 
Could the strength of Abraham's faith have been known 
had he not been called to offer Isaac as a burnt sacrifice? 
Could the meekness of Moses have been seen, if he had 
not been the leader of a people so disposed to murmur 
and rebel and to lay their calamities at his door? Or 
can we now see the excellence of the Christian's character 
unless it is brought to the trial? Can you see his faith 
and patience, if he has no seasons of adversity? Or his 
self-denying spirit, if he is called to part with nothing 
for Christ; or to endure no hardness in his service? It is 
easy to rejoice in prosperity; the most selfish can do it. 
But can you say with the prophet: Although the fig tree 
shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vine; the 
labor of the olive shall fail, and the field shall yield no 
meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there 
shall be no herd in the stalls; yet will I rejoice in the Lord; 
I will joy in the God of my salvation? Do this, and you 
manifest your godly sincerity to the praise of Divine 
grace. 

4. The connection between the life and the death 
of the devoted Christian deserves notice. His living to 
the Lord prepares him to die to the Lord. Having lived 
the life of the righteous, he dies his death. Through 
rich grace, he has lively hope in death, in proportion as 
he has been diligent to be found of the Lord in peace 
without spot and blameless. How evidently does his 
life of humble piety and zeal for the Lord, fit him by 
Divine mercy to end his days in peace; and his hope and 
peace in death give the finishing stroke to his Christian 



I 



RELIGIOUS MATTERS 187 

character. Would you die this happy death of the 
righteous? Then live his life. 

5. The departed saint still lives to the glory of his 
Lord. He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, 
for all live unto him. Whether saints live or die; they 
are the Lord's. For to this end Christ both died and 
rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the 
dead and living. Yes, the saint that has fallen asleep 
in Jesus is now a spirit of the just made perfect; he is 
before the throne; he sees the face of his Redeemer; and 
serves him day and night in his temple. There he joins 
in the never-ending song: Unto him that loved us and 
washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made 
us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be 
glory and dominion forever and ever. 

You may suppose, my brethren, that in these remarks, 
I have some reference to the beloved and respected 
servant of Christ, whose mortal part we are now to 
commit to the silent dust. I hope the reference is just. 
I trust he lived and died to the Lord, as redeemed by 
his blood, clothed with his righteousness and sanctified 
by his Spirit. 

His character is well known. It is deeply imprinted 
on the hearts of those who now mourn that they shall 
see his face and hear his voice no more. It has been 
formed by grace and to God belongs the praise of every- 
thing excellent and useful in his servant who now rests 
from his labors and whose works of piety and love follow 
him, as the proofs of his being sincerely devoted to the 
Lord. He meets, we hope, a gracious acceptance and 
receives from his Redeemer's hand a crown of life that 
fadeth not away. 

The Rev. Paul Litchfield was born in Scituate, 
March 12, 1752. He was the first-born of twelve children. 
His parents were respectable; and died, it is hoped, in 



188 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

the Lord, at an advanced age. In early life he was 
sober and regular in his conduct. He sought an educa- 
tion that he might be fitted for the gospel ministry. He 
graduated at Harvard College in 1775. While in college 
he was much devoted to the cause of religion. He was 
attached to the friends of evangelical truth and exerted 
his influence for the salvation of his fellow men. His 
solicitude for their conversion was manifested by his 
efforts to turn tliem from darkness to light. His theolog- 
ical studies he pursued under the direction of Rev. Dr. 
Stephen West of Stockbridge, who is well known as an 
author by some able productions and especially by his 
treatise on the atonement. 

After being licensed to preach the gospel, he supplied 
several congregations and was invited to settle in the 
ministry, but the Lord directed his steps to this place 
as the field of his stated labors through life. Here he was 
ordained the first pastor of this church, November 7, 
1781. The church was formed on the twenty-eighth of 
February preceding and consisted of ten male and twenty 
female members. His call was voted on the seventeenth 
of May. He ministered to this church forty-six years. 
Duriiig the whole of this period it appeared to be his 
great object to fulfil the ministry, which he had received 
in the Lord. He pi^ossessed a strong, discriminating mind. 
He was fond of deep thought. It was not his manner 
to glide along on the surface of a subject. He preferred 
more thorough investigations and discussions. The 
ablest works on theology were his favorite study. 

His views of the essential doctrines of the Bible were 
distinct and well arranged in his mind and he had the 
talent of presenting these doctrines to others with plain- 
ness and force. Who could hear him without knowing 
the leading sentiments of his creed? When did he give 
an uncertain sound? How much did his doctrinal dis- 



RELIGIOUS MATTERS 189 

cussions enforce his exhortations to repent, to beheve in 
Christ, and obey every divine command? How carefully 
did he connect faith and good works in his pastoral min- 
istrations? His natural gravity added to the solemnity 
of his ministerial performances. He also spoke under a 
sensible impression of Divine truth on his own mind. 
His preaching was therefore well adapted to impress his 
hearers. By the power of the Holy Spirit, it had this 
effect, as numbers who heard him can testify. 

In the year 1798 was the season of most interesting 
attention to religion, which he was so happy as to witness 
among his people. It was a powerful work of grace. 
The fruit was considerable. At other times he enjoyed 
a special blessing on his labors. In such revivals of 
religion he took a lively interest, and prayed and labored 
to promote them. The prosperity of Zion at large was 
dear to his heart. He rejoiced in the increase of orthodox, 
faithful ministers around him and through our land. 
The cause of missions he warmly espoused and readily 
encouraged other objects of Christian enterprise. He 
looked with confidence for the earth to be filled with the 
knowledge of the glory of the Lord. Christian principles 
appeared to influence him in all the walks of life, and in 
the discharge of relative duties. 

He manifested much affection and kindness in his 
family. He was affectionate and kind to his other rela- 
tives. He was a lover of hospitality and of good men. 
His Christian brethren and other friends were made so 
welcome and entertained so kindly in his house that 
the}' could afterwards call with pleasure. His trust in 
God sustained him under the trials he endured. These 
appeared to mature his Christian character, to promote 
his usefulness, and to increase his joy in the Lord. 

In his last sickness, he had, as he thought, the 
Savior's gracious presence and peace with God through 



190 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

our Lord Jesus Christ. He was visited with some dark- 
ness of mind, which was followed with reviving light and 
comfort, but his disorder so prostrated his system as to 
prevent a full expression of his views and feelings. He, 
however, conversed with members of his charge, and 
with some of his children. To the latter he opened his 
mind with much tender affection. His dying words, 
they will long remember; his end, in the judgment of his 
pious friends, was peace. 

The removal of such a husband is to you, dear 
madam, a very sensible loss. But you trust that his 
gain is unspeakably greater. You could pray for his 
continuance in life, but you cannot now desire his return. 
He lived to a good old age, and has departed in peace. 
Bless the Lord that you so long enjoyed his affection, 
his pious example, and his prayers. 

Follow him as he followed Christ; yea, rather live a 
life of faith on the Son of God, who loved you and gave 
himself for you, and you will soon see Jesus as he is, and 
be like him forever. 

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you, 
and make you to abound in peace and joy in the Holy 
Ghost, till you join the church of the first-born in heaven. 

What an affliction to children is the death of a 
kind and pious father! What tender scenes, my beloved 
friends, does it open to your minds .'^ You recall the past; 
and think of the future. You are reminded of your 
peculiar privileges, as children of parents in covenant 
with God, and as solemnly devoted to him in baptism. 
What tender solicitude has your father felt for your 
salvation.'* How earnestly has he besought you, and 
especially on his dying bed, that you would choose the 
God of your parents as your God? How many prayers 
has he offered for you? How much instruction has he 
given you? Is all this nothing to you? Can you neglect 



RELIGIOUS MATTERS 191 

it all? Is this honoring your father? Is it preparing 
to meet him before your judge? Are you prepared for 
such a meeting? Are you born of the Spirit? Is the 
God of your Father your God, by faith in Christ? Do 
you live, not to yourselves, but to the Lord? Then, 
through rich grace, you will close your days in peace, 
and enter the New Jerusalem. How animating the 
thought! But shall either of you fail of this blessedness? 
O prevent it by pressing into the kingdom. Can you 
think of perishing from such a family and such privileges 
as you have enjoyed? O be wise, win Christ. Secure 
to yourselves his unsearchable riches. Make him your 
Friend, and he will never fail you. The Lord bless 
you for his name's sake. 

The death of such a Brother, my respected Friends, 
is to you aflBicting and solemn. It speaks loudly to 
your hearts, calling you to seek more earnestly the things 
which are above. Obey the call, I beseech you, and see 
that you are made meet for the inheritance of the saints 
in light. May the other Relatives duly notice the hand 
of God. Be humble; be penitent; and zealously seek 
the grace of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. May his 
grace be with you all. 

The members of this Church will see cause to humble 
themselves under the mighty hand of God. He gave and 
he has taken away a Pastor who has been much and justly 
endeared to you. To some of you, he has been a spiritual 
father. How long he has broken among you the bread 
of life; and given you the tokens of the Saviour's love. 
But his work is done. His ministry is closed. You will 
long and affectionately remember him and the things 
which he taught. Let him still speak to you. Walk 
in love, my dearly beloved, as Christ hath loved you. 
Love one another with pure hearts fervently. Grieve 
not the Holy Spirit, by any unkindness, or bitterness, or 



192 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

evil affection towards any man. Seek of the Lord a faithful 
Pastor, who shall determine to know nothing among you 
but Jesus Christ and him crucified. Stand fast in the 
faith and fellowship of the gospel; and be of one mind 
of one accord, and the Lord will be with you. We com- 
mend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is 
able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among 
them that are sanctified. To this Congregation, the 
Lord speaks, as he never spake before. He has called 
from you his ambassador, to give account of his ministry. 
What account does your minister render to the Lord, 
who sent him.f^ Have you received him in love, for 
Jesus' sake.'' Has he persuaded you to be reconciled to 
God, through his only begotten Son? Must he testify 
that you will not receive and obey the Son of God, as 
your Saviour and King.'' Can you persist in this purpose? 
Do you consider the consequences? Can you endure 
them? Are you ready to meet the minister of Christ 
before his judgment seat? Are you prepared for the 
trial? If you are condemned, can you appeal? Can 
you find a friend in the universe? But now, today, you 
can make the Judge your Friend. He will be your Surety, 
if you condemn yourself and justify God. He will then 
acquit you in the judgment day, and give you a crown of 
righteousness. Now hear the voice. Duly prize the 
ministry of reconciliation. Live not without it. The 
liberal support of the gospel is for your present interest 
and future blessedness. O fear and serve the Lord, and 
his mercy will be on you and your children. 

My Brethren in the ministry, let us be more faithful 
in our office, by what we have known of this respected 
Father and Brother in the gospel. Let his death deeply 
admonish us to be also ready. We also must give account 
of ourselves unto God. To whom is death so solemn, 
so full of tremendous results, as to the watchman of souls? 



RELIGIOUS MATTERS 193 

What immense interests are in his hands? Who is the 
faithful steward of the mysteries of God? Who is wise 
to win souls? Who will receive the approving sentence — 
Well done, good and faithful servant. Dear Brethren, 
let us be clothed with humility; and let the love of Christ 
constrain us to live always to him ; and may he accept and 
bless us in our work, for the honor of his name. 

Let every one, in this house of our solemnities, pre- 
pare to meet God in judgment. The decisive day is at 
hand. Delay has ruined thousands. Let it not be your 
ruin. Be reconciled to God, through his Son. Receive 
the abundance of his grace, and the gift of righteousness, 
that you may reign in life by Jesus Christ, forever. Amen." 

Hymn 

What think you of Christ? is the test 

To try both your state and your scheme; 
You cannot be right in the rest. 

Unless you think rightly of him. 
As Jesus appears in your view. 

As he is beloved or not; 
So God is disposed to you, 

And mercy or wrath are your lot. 

Some take him a creature to be, 

A man, or an angel at most; 
Sure these have not feelings like me. 

Nor know themselves wretched and lost; 
So guilty, so helpless am I, 

I durst not confide in his blood, 
Nor on his protection rely. 

Unless I were sure he is God. 

Some call him a Saviour, in word, 

But mix their own w^orks with his plan; 



194 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

And hope he his help will afford, 

When they have done all that they can; 

If doings prove rather too light, 
(A little, they own, they may fail) 

They purpose to make up full weight, 
By casting his name in the scale. 

Some style him the pearl of great price, 

And say he's the fountain of joys; 
Yet feed upon folly and vice. 

And cleave to the world and its toys; 
Like Judas, the Saviour they kiss. 

And while they salute him betray; 
Ah! what will profession like this 

Avail in his terrible day? 

If ask'd, what of Jesus I think? 

Tho' still my best thoughts are but poor, 
I say, he's my meat and my drink. 

My life, and my strength, and my store; 
My Shepherd, my Husband, my Friend, 

My Saviour from Sin and from thrall; 
My hope from beginning to end. 

My portion, my Lord, and my All. 

Names of church members when Rev. Paul Litchfield 
died, November 5, 1827: 

John Green, Deacon Mary Proctor 

John Jacobs, Deacon ^ Sarah Taylor 

Joseph Heald Hannah Wilkins 

Harris Bingham Lucinda Wyman 

Lucy Andrews Sarah Fletcher 

Sarah Blood Sarah Nuting 

Lydia Parker Hannah Nuting 

Susanna Parlin An^a Blood 



RELIGIOUS MATTERS 195 

Mable Jacobs Mrs. Parker 

Abi Heald Mrs. Barrett 

Hannah Blood Sarah Green 

Elisabeth Hodgman Hannah Forbush 

Rachel Hartwell Lois Green 

Lucy Harwood Lydia Foster 

Mary Skilton Miranda Russell." 

A meeting of the church was regularly called for 
November 26, 1827, at the home of Deacon John Jacobs, 
which appears to have been the first meeting of the 
church for the transaction of business held subsequent 
to the death of Rev. Paul Litchfield. At this meeting 
it was voted that Deacon John Jacobs take charge of 
the church records and the donation of books bequeathed 
to the church by their late pastor. 

On Monday, December 3, 1827, in less than a month 
after the death of Rev. Mr. Litchfield, the voters of the 
town were assembled at the meeting-house in the capacity 
of a town meeting. Only one article appeared in the 
warrant, and that in substance was, to see if the inhab- 
itants would have religious services on Sabbath days 
in the future, and pass any votes in relation to the same 
which they may think proper. The town voted to have 
religious services, and chose a committee of three to 
supply the pulpit by hiring until the following March. 
At the subsequent March meeting the question was 
again considered: "To know if the inhabitants of said 
town will take any method relative to having preaching 
in the future." The town voted in the affirmative, and 
chose Mr. John Heald as a committee to see that the 
pulpit be supplied for one month, at the end of which 
time a committee of three were chosen by the town to 
continue the supplies, and the sum of three hundred 
dollars was raised to support public worship and other 
ministerial charges for the ensuing year. The committee 



196 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

chosen by the town to secure suppHes for the pulpit 
employed preachers of the orthodox belief for a few weeks, 
after which those usually secured were of Unitarian faith. 

On June 9, 1828, a meeting of the church was held 
at the home of Deacon John Greeii, at which it was 
unanimously voted to give Rev. Joseph W. Clary, who 
sympathized with the late Rev. Paul Litchfield in matters 
of theology, a call to settle with them in the gospel 
ministry. At a subsequent town meeting, held June 19, 
the town by vote non-concurred with the church. 

Various movements took place between the town 
and the church until at length the Rev. Ephraim Randall, 
something of a popular preacher, but Unitarian in creed, 
was employed by the town committee, and a paper was 
put in circulation to obtain subscribers to give him a call 
to settle over the church and town. Those of the inhabi- 
tants who were of the orthodox persuasion, finding a 
majority of the voters of the town were determined to 
settle a Unitarian minister and would not consider the 
proposals made to them by the church, took advantage 
of the then recent law and twenty in number "signed off," 
as it was called, to the Trinitarian Society in Concord, 
under the care of Rev. D. L. Southmayed, in order not 
to be holden to pay any part of the expense of settling 
or supporting a minister who entertained religious views 
not consistent with their own. The church as a church, 
however, always held their communion seasons in the 
town, and the church as well as those who "signed off" 
and did not belong to the church, continued to hold 
meetings together on Sabbath days in some private house. 

An article a^ follows appeared in the warrant for 
the annual March meeting in the year 1829: "To know 
if the town will agree that the Church of Christ, in the 
town and others who may wish to worship with them, 
may have the use of the meeting-house and bell, for the 



RELIGIOUS MATTERS 197 

purpose of religious worship, at any time when it is not 
wanted for the use of the town," The town voted "that 
action be deferred for one year," and the request was 
never again presented. 

On December 28, 1829, the town voted and chose a 
committee to petition the Legislature that the said parish 
be incorporated as the First Religious Society in Carlisle. 
Nothing, however, in the town records shows that the 
Legislature considered the petition or that it was pre- 
sented. At the same meeting the town "voted that the 
money called the Simon Blood, Jr., donation money, 
be forever appropriated as a fund to be known as the 
Blood Ministerial Fund of the First Religious Society in 
Carlisle, and that said fund be forever under the control 
and for the sole use of the afore-named religious Society." 

Efforts were put forth, and proposals were subse- 
quently made by the church, to bring about some amicable 
arrangement with the town in order that a union of 
purpose and interests between church and town, similar 
to what had existed in years past, might prevail again, 
but all to no effect; and to crown the whole the town at 
its annual town meeting held on Monday, March 1, 1830, 
chose a committee to take all the property into their 
possession belonging to the church. 

This property was by vote of the church in the 
possession of Deacon John Jacobs and was subsequently 
reluctantly handed over, in order to avoid any possible 
future trouble. At the latter-named meeting the town 
also voted to raise three hundred dollars for the support 
of preaching. A meeting of the members of the First 
Religious Society was held in the meeting-house on 
Monday, November 22, 1830. Mr. Thomas Heald was 
chosen moderator, and it " was unanimously agreed to 
give the Rev. Stephen Hull an invitation to settle with 
said church and society in the ministry, and that so long 



198 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

as he should discharge the duties of a clergyman in said 
church and society, he receive three hundred and seventy 
dollars yearly for his compensation, to be paid in four 
quarterly payments and that the above contract may be 
dissolved by either party thereto giving the other six 
months notice, and paying up all arrearages." 

A committee of three persons were chosen to wait 
on Rev. Stephen Hull and present to him the proceedings 
of this meeting. The call was accepted by Mr. Hull, 
and the service of installation took place on December 29. 
Rev. Dr. Ripley of Concord presided at the council 
and Rev. Dr. Eaton of Boxford preached the sermon. 

This union of pastor and people continued until 
June 1, 1835, the parish having six months previously given 
the required notice that they wished to annul the contract. 

On November 14, 1831, the last money, three hun- 
dred dollars in amount, was raised by the town in its 
corporate capacity for the purpose of supporting the 
gospel; and was appropriated for the purpose of paying 
Rev. Stephen Hull his salary and for other parochial 
charges. Thus the above date notes the financial separa- 
tion of town and church. 

Under the new regime, the members of the First 
Religious Society voted from time to time to raise a 
portion of the funds required for the support of religious 
worship by taxation. This necessitated a valuation, and 
the following is the result of what appears to have been 
the first valuation authorized by the Society: 

" 104,975 Dollars Total amount of Estate Real and 
Personal owned by Members of the first Religious Society 
in Carlisle per Valuation of 1835, 

B. F. Heald, 
Jonas Parker, 
J. W. Wilkins, 
Parish Assessors." 



RELIGIOUS MATTERS 199 

"$312.24 Total amount of Taxes Assessed for the 
year 1835. 

B. F. Heald, 
Jonas Parker, 
J. W. Wilkins, 
Parish Assessors." 
It may be of interest to know that no estate was 
valued as high as the $5000 mark; four were over $4000, 
but less than $5000; three were over $3000, but less than 
$4000; twelve were over $2000, but less than $3000; 
twenty-five were assessed for a poll tax only; sixty-three 
had a valuation of less than $2000; one hundred and 
seven entries were made on the valuation list. 

Rev. Mr. Williams, Rev. Edmund Capron and Rev. 
George W. Stacy supplied the pulpit for a year after 
Rev. Stephen Hull's pastorate. The following order 
drawn on the treasury of the First Religious Society is of 
interest, since it indicates the price paid for board on the 
date attached. 

"Carlisle, 20th Feb. 1836. 
Order No. 27, $30. — 

Mr. James Green Treas. of the first Religious Society in 
Carlisle, 
Sir: Please to appropriate to your own use, thirty 
dollars of the money now in your hands belonging to 
sd. Society, that sum being the amount due to you for 
boarding Rev. Messrs. Capron & Stacy fifteen weeks at 
$2 per week, and this shall be your discharge for the 
same. Per order. 

B. F. Heald, Parish Clerk." 
An adjourned meeting of the voting members of 
the First Religious Society was held at their meeting- 
house on Monday, March 21, 1836, at which meeting 
"Capt. Thomas Green, from the committee appointed 
to confer with Re^\ George W. Stacy, reported that said 



200 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

committee had attended to their duty and acertained 
that said Stacy would engage to supply the Desk for one 
year for three hundred dollars, and house rent and fire 
wood." It was voted that he be invited to settle as 
pastor of the First Religious Society in Carlisle, and that 
the ordination take place the first Wednesday in May 
following, if agreeable to him; and committees were 
appointed to make the necessary arrangements. 

The ordination took place May 4, 1836, with the 
following order of service: 
Anthem. 

Introductory Prayer, Rev. Mr. Damon, West Cambridge. 
Scripture Selection, Rev. Mr. Andrews, Chelmsford. 

Hymn . 

Sermon, Rev. Mr. Ballon, Mendon. 

Anthem . 

Ordaining Prayer, Rev. Mr. Maynard, Amherst, N. H. 
Charge, Rev. Mr. Dean, Boston. 

Right hand of fellowship. Rev. Mr. Morse, Marlboro. 
Original Hymn. 

Address to the People, Dr. Ripley, Concord. 

Concluding Prayer, Rev. Mr. White, Littleton. 

Anthem. 
Benediction. 

Thus Rev. George W. Stacy was the third pastor 
settled over the First Religious Society. His pastorate 
terminated May 1, 1839, of his own volition. 

Subsequent to the termination of the pastorate of 
Rev. George W. Stacy, the pulpit appears to have been 
supplied by a number of clergymen, hired usually from 
Sabbath to Sabbath or for a short term, until the year 
1848, when the services of Rev. Mr. Hervey of Wayland 
were secured. After he had supplied the pulpit for a 
number of Sabbaths, to the entire satisfaction of the 
Society, the parish by a unanimous vote invited him to 



RELIGIOUS MATTERS 201 

assume the duties of minister and pastor of tlie church 
for the term of one year, at a salai-y of four hundred 
dollars, which invitation he accepted, and entered upon 
the duties on September 1, 1848. 

During the church year ending November 1, 1853, 
the pulpit was supplied most of the time by Mr. Davis 
Smith from the Cambridge Divinity School. "On the 
twentieth of June Mr. Smith was ordained in the church 
as an evangelist. The Rev. Messrs. Bridge of Lexington, 
Gushing of Bedford, Frost of Concord, Lincoln of Boston, 
and ?\Iellen of Chelmsford took part in the exercises." 

In the year 1851) the First Parish leased Union Hall 
to the town for the purpose of holding town meetings, 
for the sum of twelve dollars per year. This rental, 
together with the amount received for the annual rent 
of forty pews in the church, which alone sometimes 
exceeded four hundred dollars, went a long way toward 
paying the running expenses for supporting public wor- 
ship. When there was likely to be a deficiency the 
balance was raised sometimes by taxation and sometimes 
by subscription. There was also an annual income from 
the Simon Blood fund, which was likewise appropriated, 
and at a meeting of the Society held December 21, 1855, 
a new source of income was inaugurated, which has con- 
tinued with only occasional annual interruptions to the 
present time (1920), when it was voted "that the society 
authorize the holding of one or more tea parties the 
ensuing winter, and the proceeds thereof be paid over to 
the treasurer to be appropriated to the payment of mini- 
sterial services the present parochial year." 

These tea parties usually included a good theatrical 
by local talent, followed by a supper and dance, with 
music by a first-class orchestra and always attracted 
large crowds and netted a neat sum for the church. On 
November 2, 1857, at a parish meeting then being held. 



202 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

it was voted to employ Rev. James T. Powers to occupy 
the pulpit until the next parish meeting. This was the 
beginning of a pastorate that continued until April 30, 
1863, when his resignation took effect, but by agreement 
with the committee he supplied the pulpit by himself 
or substitute until October 31, making his pastorate of 
six years' duration. 

At a parish meeting held March 19, 1864, it was 
"voted that hereafter the parochial year shall commence 
on the first day of April in each year, instead of the first 
day of November as herietofore." At a parish meeting 
held December 31, 1864, it was "voted to instruct the 
standing committee to employ the Rev. B. F. Summerbell 
to supply the pulpit for the remainder of the present fiscal 
year." This they did, and then engaged him to continue 
for the ensuing year, at an annual salary of seven hundred 
dollars. 

Rev. John S. Smith was the next regular pastor and 
assumed the duties of the position, as Rev. Mr. Summer- 
bell's successor, in the year 1866. During Mr. Smith's 
pastorate, many changes were made and much valuable 
work was done. The membership list was revised, new 
by-laws were adopted, necessary repairs on the exterior 
and interior of the church were made, a new church organ 
was purchased and installed; a beautiful clock, the gift 
of Mr. S. T. Fletcher of Lowell, was a valuable addition 
to the church auditorium; a bequest to the Society by 
the late Capt. Thomas Green was accepted, and extensive 
repairs were made on the church spire. The pastorate 
of Rev. J. S. Smith terminated in Carhsle on the expira- 
tion of his fifth annual engagement, April 1, 1871. During 
the year ending April 1, 1873, because of a lack of suffi- 
cient funds, the pulpit supply was only secured for five 
Sabbaths. On May 14, 1873, "The parish committee 
voted to grant the free use of the church to parties request- 



RELIGIOUS MATTERS 203 

ing it, to hold public worship therein until such time as 
the Society may require it for their own use." In con- 
sideration of the above very liberal offer, Alexander 
Dight, a young man who was preparing for a Methodist 
preacher, was engaged, and continued to supply the 
pulpit very acceptably for a year or more. The next 
regular minister engaged by the First Religious Society 
was Rev. James J. Twiss, who commenced his labors in 
1876, and resigned to take effect on November 1, 1879, 
after a three-years pastorate. 

Rev. George F. Piper, pastor of the Unitarian 
Church in the adjoining town of Bedford, was the next 
to assume the pastoral care of the Carlisle church. This 
he did in addition to and in connection with his Bedford 
charge, until the year 1890. Rev. Edwin C. Abbott of 
Boston was Mr. Piper's successor, and supplied the pulpit 
for ten years, or until July 1, 1901. 

The year 1898 was a very prosperous year for the 
First Religious Society, from a financial standpoint, since 
it voted to accept three donations as follows: A note of 
two hundred dollars and accrued interest left by will of 
Mrs. Maria F. Green; a note of two hundred dollars given 
by Mr. Ambrose Heald, and a bequest of ten thousand 
dollars by will of the late Joanna Gleason. 

At a special meeting of the parish held in Union 
Hall November 16, 1901, it was "Voted that the parish 
committee hire Rev. Walter E. Lane as a resident minister 
for one year," and at the annual meeting of the Society 
held April 26, 1902, it was voted that Mr. Lane be 
installed. A committee of five persons from the church 
were chosen to confer with Mr. Lane, and make the 
necessary arrangements, which duties they performed, 
and Rev. Walter Eustace Lane was installed as pastor 
of the First Religious Society of Carlisle, on Thursday 
afternoon. May 22, 1902. The order of exercises follows: 



204 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

Anthem, "Come to Me," Choir. 

Invocation, Rev. A. D. K. Shurtleff, Chelmsford. 

Scripture Reading and Hymn 

Sermon, Rev. Charles E. St. John, Boston. 

Prayer of Installation, Rev. C. A. Staples, Lexington. 

Response. 

Charge to Pastor, Rev. L. B. Macdonald, Concord. 

Right hand of Fellowship, Rev. Edgar S. Weirs, Billerica. 

Address to the People, Rev. Frederic Gill, Arlington. 

Address, "The Denominational Message," 

Rev. G. H. Badger, Boston. 
Address, Rev. Herbert Armes, Carlisle. 

Doxology. 
Benediction by the Pastor. 

Rev. Mr. Lane continued in his position as pastor of 
the First Church for four years, when at the annual parish 
meeting held March 20, 1906, he presented and read his 
resignation. Action on the matter was referred to an 
adjourned meeting held April 7, 1906, when after due 
consideration the pastor's resignation was accepted. 

At the annual parish meeting held on April 3, 1907, 
it was "voted to install the pastor. Rev. Frank H. 
Billington," who was Rev. Mr. Lane's successor, and a 
committee of five persons as follows. Rev. Frank H. 
Billington, J. H. Wilkins, E. S. Ricker, Mrs. D. W. 
Robbins and Mrs. Nettie Wilson were appointed by the 
chair to name the date, and make the necessary arrange- 
ments. The service of installation was held in the church 
Wednesday, April 24, 1907, at two o'clock, with the fol- 
lowing order of exercises: 

Hymn, "Come thou Almighty King," Congregation. 

Charge to the Pastor, Rev. Harry Lutz, Billerica. 

Charge to the People, Rev. Frederic Gill, Arlington. 

Solo "Come unto me," (Hawley) ]Miss Rose Fish. 



RELIGIOUS MATTERS 205 

Right hand of Fellowship, 

Rev. Loren B. Macdonald, Concord. 
Hymn, "^Yalk in the Light,' Congregation. 

Benediction, Pastor. 

Organ Postlude Frank E. Wilkins. 

At the annual parish meeting called for April 5, 
and adjourned to April 8, 1911, the resignation of the 
pastor, Rev. Frank H. Billington, was read by the clerk. 
The meeting in taking action voted unanimously not to 
accept, but the pastor's decision appears to have been 
conclusive. 

At a special parish meeting held November 25, 1911, 
it was voted to extend a call to Rev. Granville Pierce to 
assume the duties as pastor of the church. Mr. Pierce 
accepted the call and moved to town, serving as pastor 
of the First Religious Society for more than two years. 
During his pastorate a new organ was given the Society 
by Unity Guild, and it was voted by the Society to donate 
the old organ to Unity Guild. 

A special parish meeting was held in Union Hall 
January 9, 1915. Article II was "To see what action 
the parish will take in regard to hiring a minister." Rev. 
E. J. Prescott, of Hampton Falls, N. H., was the can- 
didate under consideration, and it was "voted that the 
parish committee be instructed to engage him on such 
conditions as they deem best." Mr. Prescott lived in 
Hampton Falls most of the time, but held the position 
of pastor of the First Religious Society in Carlisle for 
upward of three years, making weekly trips between the 
two places by automobile for the Sunday service. 

The following is a copy of the second item of the 
will of Serlina G. Richardson, late of Chelmsford, for- 
merly a resident of Carlisle: "Item 2. I give to the 
First Religious Society (Unitarian) at Carlisle, the sum 
of One Thousand Dollars, in trust, the income only of 



206 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

said sum to be expended annually for the support of 
liberal preaching." 

At the annual parish meeting held April 5, 1916, 
it was "Voted to accept the gift of one thousand dollars 
from Serlina G. Richardson, late of Chelmsford, the clerk 
to make a suitable record on the Church book." 

Following the pastorate of Rev. E. J. Prescott, the 
Rev. J. H. Crooker of Lexington supplied the pulpit of 
the First Parish Church for a few Sundays, and was 
finally hired to assume the duties of pastor. He con- 
tinued to make his home in Lexington, going to Carlisle 
for the Sabbath day service and as necessity required. 



Chapter XVIII 
UNION CALVINISTIC CHURCH 

After a series of efforts on the part of the members 
of the original church to negotiate an amicable settlement 
of ecclesiastical affairs with the town, extending over a 
period of three years subsequent to the death of the 
Rev. Paul Litchfield, the first pastor of the town, the 
situation appears to have developed into a condition 
where new resources had to be developed and new plans 
formed, which resulted in twelve legal voters of the town, 
John Jacobs, Aaron Fletcher, Zebulon Blood, Joseph 
Heald, Abel Taylor, William Raymond, Samuel Boynton, 
Jonas Munroe, Reuben Munroe, Harris Bingham, 
Timothy Meek and Reuben Foster, forming themselves 
into a religious society known as the Union Calvinistic 
Society; and later applying to Jonathan Prescott, Esq., 
of Westford, to grant a warrant in due form of law to 
Deacon Jacobs, to notify all the male members of said 
Society to meet at the house of Capt. Aaron Fletcher on 
Saturday, November 20, 1830, at one o'clock p.m., for 
the purpose of organizing according to law, and choosing 
all necessary officers to manage the business of said 
Society. 

The warrant was granted and the members of the 
Society were personally warned by Deacon Jacobs. 
The meeting was held at the time and place mentioned, 
the place being the same premises in the center of the 
town now (1920) owned and occupied by Mr. Daniel W. 
Robbins. The meeting was called to order by Jonathan 
Prescott, Esq., the justice of the peace, who served the 

207 



208 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

warrant. Mr. Samuel Boynton was chosen moderator, 
and the following officers, who were also the first officers 
of said Society, were chosen: Clerk, John Jacobs; treasurer 
and collector, John Jacobs; prudential committee, Harris 
Bingham, John Jacobs and Reuben Foster. Twenty 
male members then signed the constitution of the Society 
and the date of November 20, 1830, will be remembered 
as the date when the Union Calvinistic Society was 
organized. 

Now the situation in the town appeared to be a new 
religious society formed, with a constantly increasing 
membership, but lacking the necessary convenience of a 
house for worship, and to the consideration of this par- 
ticular problem the minds of the members of the Society 
appear to have been turned; for at a business meeting 
of the Society, held at the home of Deacon John Jacobs 
on January 3, 1831, it was "Voted that Deacon Jacobs 
draw up a subscription paper and circulate the same for 
the purpose of ascertaining what sum can be raised in 
this manner toward building a church." 

On the twenty-eighth day of the following February 
a meeting of the Society was called at the same place as 
before, and it was "voted to build a house of worship 
thirty feet long, twenty-eight feet wide and fifteen feet 
high, and also to lay out the money subscribed in labor 
and materials as far as it will go." Just how much was 
subscribed is not revealed, but it is recorded that one 
individual raised by subscription from people not living 
in the town the sum of $255.06 in money, and twenty-one 
dollars in materials, which included a stove. 

Messrs. John Jacobs, Abel Taylor and Reuben 
Foster were chosen as a building committee, who attended 
to the duties assigned them, and completed the building 
during the summer of 1332, at an expense to the Society 
of nearly eight hundred dollars. Necessary arrange- 



UNION CALVINISTIC CHURCH 209 

ments were made, and the building was dedicated to 
God, and the purposes of reHgious worship on October 4, 
1832. Rev. Amos Blanchard of Lowell preached the 
dedicatory sermon and meetings continued to be held 
for a space of three days with favorable results to the 
church and Society. 

The building was located at the south of the Common, 
in the center of the town, the same location as that 
occupied by the Congregational Church at the present 
time (1920), and of which it forms the larger part of the 
main auditorium. The land surrounding it and on which 
the church stands, in area a quarter of an acre more or 
less, was leased by said Society for a term of nine hundred 
and ninety-nine years of Mr. Isaac Duren, with the 
express understanding that said Society would, within 
the space of two years, erect a building on said premises 
to be consecrated to the solemn worship of Almighty God, 
and that the doctrines supported shall be the same as 
were embodied and maintained by the early settlers of 
the country, and which are now known as orthodox or 
evangelical, being the same as said Society did at that 
time openly profess. Said lease is dated April 6, 1831, 
the terms of which are that the sum of twenty dollars 
rent shall be paid upon the delivery of the lease, and 
afterward the sum of one cent for each and every year 
during the existence of said lease. 

The Society chose Deacon John Jacobs and Mr. Abel 
Taylor as their agents to execute the foregoing lease with 
Mr. Duren, both of whose names are embodied in the 
indenture as the authorized agents of the Societj?^ for 
that purpose. Previous to the erection of the church 
edifice Sabbath services had for some time been regularly 
maintained in private homes. Various clergymen, 
seventy-seven in all, according to the church records, 
had supplied one or more Sabbaths. It was on April 22, 



210 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

1833, at a regular meeting of the church and Society, 
that a unanimous vote was passed to call the Rev. Abel 
Patten to settle with them in the Gospel ministry. The 
call concludes with the following terms and conditions: 
"And that you may be in a good measure free from 
worldly cares and avocations, we as a church and society 
do hereby promise and oblige ourselves to furnish you 
with board, a room, fuel, hghts, &c., the use of horse 
and chaise when necessary, and to pay you annually in 
addition to one hundred dollars from the Domestic Mis- 
sionary Society, the sum of two hundred dollars in regular 
quarterly payments, during a period of two years." 

The foregoing call was accepted by Rev. Abel Patten 
and an ecclesiastical council was convened at the home 
of Deacon Jacobs on May 22. Seven churches were 
represented in the council by pastor and delegate. The 
proceedings of the church and the examination of the 
candidate being concluded, and proving satisfactory to 
the council, it was voted to adjourn to the house of public 
worship, where the public exercises of the installation 
were observed and Rev. Abel Patten was installed the 
first pastor of the new church and Society. 

The pastorate of Rev. Mr. Patten continued until 
September 29, 1835, when because of the inability of the 
church and Society to raise a competent salary for his 
support, at his own request an ecclesiastical council was 
convened and a dissolution of the pastoral relationship 
was recommended and accomplished. 

The second pastor settled over the church and 
Society was Rev. Preserved Smith. He was the unan- 
imous choice of the church, and their action relative to 
finances follows: "Voted to give you four Hundred 
Dollars a year for your Sallary allowing you as many 
Sabbaths Annually as we may fail to make up that 
amount." The call was accepted, and arrangements 



UNION CALVINISTIC CHURCH 211 

made for the installation, which took place August 31, 
1836. 

During Rev. Mr. Smith's pastorate, in the fall of 
the year 1837, the church was enlarged and certain repairs 
were made; the money for the purpose was obtained 
principally by subscription, the pastor subscribing one 
hundred and twenty-five dollars, and lesser amounts 
were given by members of the Society. John Jacobs, 
Abel Taylor, Abel Taylor, Jr., Capt. Aaron Fletcher and 
Mr. Asa P. Adams were the committee in charge. On 
August 28, 1843, after a seven-years pastorate in Carlisle, 
and at his own request, Mr. Smith's pastoral relations 
were dissolved by the action of an ecclesiastical council. 

On June 28, 1845, a letter of acceptance was sent to 
the Union Calvinistic Church by Rev. George W. 
Thompson, in reply to a call previously received by him 
from the church committee desiring that he become their 
pastor. An ecclesiastical council was convened on July 
16, 1845 and Rev, George W. Thompson was installed 
the third pastor of the church and Society. His annual 
salary was four hundred dollars, with three or four 
Sabbaths' vacation. Mr. Thompson had previous to 
his coming to Carlisle preached in the town of Dracut 
and the Dracut church urgently requested that he resume 
his labors among them. The Carlisle church, considering 
the circumstances, consented to release him, and his 
pastoral relations in Carlisle were dissolved by an eccle- 
siastical council convened September 2, 1847. 

Rev. Seth W. Banister was installed the fourth 
pastor of the church and Society April 27, 1848, and it 
was during the first year of his pastorate that the Society 
built a parsonage at a cost of nearly seventeen hundred 
dollars and paid down the sum of six hundred dollars, 
raised principally by subscription, leaving a balance of 
eleven hundred dollars, which was subsequently raised 



212 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

by subscription and paid. The building committee were 
appointed February 9, 1848, at a legally called meeting, 
and included Rev. S. W. Banister, Abel Taylor, Jr., and 
Simon T. Fletcher. 

The site selected for the parsonage was a few yards 
north of the Central Burial Ground and on the west side 
of what is known as the Lowell Road. The buildings 
included a two-story house and small barn, located within 
an enclosure containing half an acre of land more or less, 
which was purchased for the purpose from the late 
Benjamin Barrett for the sum of eighty-five dollars. In 
the year 1850 the Society paid for the purpose of support- 
ing a singing-school the sum of fifty-six dollars. 

During the month of January in the year 1851 a 
church bell weighing 852 pounds was purchased at a 
cost of two hundred and thirteen dollars, being at the 
rate of twenty-five cents per pound, which, with an added 
expense of thirty-five dollars for hanging, was placed in 
position on the church. 

"On Tuesday, July 23, 1850, at the funeral of his 
mother, was baptised William Stevens, son of Rev. S. W. 
Banister." The item, copied from the church records, 
would indicate that Mr. Banister's wife died during his 
Carlisle pastorate, and also indicates the date of her 
funeral, but no account of her decease appears in the 
records. The pastoral labors of Rev. Mr. Banister for 
the Carlisle church terminated by his own request in 
the fall of the year 1852. 

The Rev. John Lawrence providentially came to 
Carlisle in January 23, 1853, to preach for a single Sabbath. 
He appears to have given general satisfaction to the 
church and Society who continued his services until 
March 10, on which date they gave him a call to settle 
with them and become their resident and permanent 
spiritual leader, at a salary of four hundred dollars and 



UNION CALVINISTIC CHURCH 213 

parsonage, and a vacation of four Sabbaths annually 
On IMarch 30, Mr. Lawrence accepted the call, and it 
was on May 5, 1853, that an ecclesiastical council con- 
vened and Mr. Lawrence was installed the fifth pastor 
of the church and Society in accordance with the cus- 
tomary program. 

On September 24, 1856, which was during the 
pastorate of Mr. Lawrence, a meeting of the Society 
was held at the church, previous to which a subscription 
paper had been circulated for the purpose of raising funds 
to cancel the debt incurred by the building of the par- 
sonage. Sufficient funds had been raised for the purpose, 
largely through the efforts of the pastor. There were 
thirty entries on the list, those amounting to fifty dollars 
or more being as follows: Rev. John Lawrence, $100; 
Simon T. Fletcher, $500; Abel Taylor, Jr., $125; Aaron 
Fletcher, $100; Harris Bingham, $50; John Jacobs, $50; 
Mrs. Sarah Taylor, $50. Twenty-three entries, ranging 
from ten to twenty-five dollars each, totaled $332; the 
entire subscription totaled $1307, and the debt was paid. 

At this meeting it was '"voted that the society does 
gratefully acknowledge the favor of Divine Providence 
in the recent successful effort made to relieve it of debt, 
and that the Parsonage shall be held, and the use and 
benefit be applied only and solely for the support of 
strictly evangelical preaching, and that if ever the church 
or society shall not need the parsonage for the support 
of the Gospel Ministry as above stated, and shall vote 
to sell the same, the money subscribed to pay for same 
shall be returned in due proportion to the subscribers or 
their heirs, according to the sum obtained by the sale." 
The names of subscribers and amounts subscribed appear 
in the church records. 

An exchange had been arranged between Rev. Mr. 
Lawrence and Rev. Joseph Garland of Acton, for Sunday, 



214 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

March 26, 1859, and during the service Rev. Mr. Garland 
read Mr. Lawrence's resignation as pastor of the CarHsle 
church. On March 30, at a church meeting, plans were 
perfected for calling a council, which convened April 5, 
1859, and came to the conclusion that it was expedient 
that the pastoral relations be dissolved because of inade- 
quacy of support. 

The following is copied from the church records, 
having been recorded during Rev. John Lawrence's 
pastorate: "October 16, 1858. The funeral of Mr. John 
Dana Robbins at the Meeting House, age 49 years, 
weight 430 or more pounds." 

On June 8, 1859, the church and Society joined in 
extending a call to Rev. Josiah Ballard to become their 
pastor. The compensation named in the call was an 
annual salary of six hundred dollars and parsonage, 
allowing a vacation of two Sabbaths. Mr. Ballard's 
letter of acceptance was dated June 25, and services 
of installation were held in the church September 15, 
1859. 

Mr. Ballard appears to have been a very acceptable 
pastor, but his earthly labors were suddenly terminated, 
according to the following quotation from the church 
records: "Dec. 12, 1863. Our beloved pastor Rev. 
Josiah Ballard, deceased." 

Mr. Ballard had the respect and good will, not only 
of his own church and Society, but of all persons who 
knew him, without regard to sect. The decease of his 
wife occurred about a year prior to his own. Both were 
buried in Carlisle, their remains being subsequently 
exhumed and carried to New Hampshire. 

The first bell used and owned by the Society since 
the year 1851 was cracked or injured, and at the annual 
parish meeting held April 7, 1864, Messrs. George F. 
Duren and Albert Boynton were chosen a committee to 



4 



UNION CALVINISTIC CHURCH 215 

dispose of same, which they did previous to the following 
August, for the sum of thirty-eight cents per pound, or a 
total of $302.48. Owing to the advance in the price 
of metal caused by the Civil War, this amount netted 
the Society the sum of $89.48 more than was paid for the 
bell when it was new. The bell was not replaced until 
the year 1866, when at an expense of $357.83 a new one 
was put in its place. This bell, however, did not last 
long, for at a meeting of the Society called for September 
7, 1867, Mr. Nathaniel Hutchinson was chosen as a com- 
mittee and authorized to procure subscriptions for the 
purpose of procuring a new bell in place of the present 
one, now broken. The provisions of the vote were 
carried out, and the bell then procured is the one in use 
at the present time (1920). 

The next pastor called by the church and Society 
was the Rev. William H. Dowden, who was installed 
February 13, 1866. Mr. Dowden and Rev. Leonard Luce 
of Westford arranged an exchange for Sunday, December 
13, 1869, when Mr. Luce read a letter to the Carlisle 
church from their pastor, requesting them to unite with 
him in convening a council to consider the matter of 
dissolving the pastoral relations existing between them. 
The pastor's resignation was accepted by the church, 
and the council assembled December 28, 1869, and advised 
the dissolution. 

During the first year of Mr. Dowden's pastorate 
extensive repairs were made upon the church building, 
costing in the aggregate $907.08, which amount was 
raised by subscription and paid during the year. The 
repairs mentioned included painting and shingling the 
building, papering the interior, cushioning the pews, 
carpeting the floor, providing new stoves and lamps, and 
placing a new bell in the belfry, of whicli mention has 
previously been made. 



216 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

The eighth and last pastor to be installed over the 
church and Society was Rev. Moses Patten. The call 
was issued on September 29, 1870, the consideration was 
to be an annual salary of eight hundred and fifty dollars, 
the use of the parsonage, and two weeks' vacation. The 
service of installation took place at the church October 
27, 1870, and the parts in the service were assigned as 
follows: 

Invocation, Brother B. S. Adams, Andover. 

Scripture Reading, Rev. Edward Chase, Bedford. 

Prayer, Rev. John Lawrence. 

Sermon, Rev. C. R. Bliss, Wakefield. 

Installing Prayer, Rev. E. Loomis, Littleton. 

Charge to the Pastor, Rev. A. S. Hudson, Burlington. 
Right hand of Fellowship, 

Rev. W. H. Dowden, Lunenburg. 
Address to the People, Rev. Daniel Phillips, Chelmsford. 
Benediction. Pastor. 

Rev. Mr. Patten, having previously handed in his 
letter of resignation as pastor of the Carlisle church, a 
council was called on December 8, 1875, to consider the 
expediency of severing the pastoral relations, with the 
result "that the resignation be finally accepted, and the 
pastor dismissed according to his request." 

Following Mr. Patten, the Rev. Asa Mann of 
Raynliam, Mass., was hired by the church and Society 
and preached about one year at a salary of nine hundred 
dollars, coming weekly to town from his home in Raynham 
to supply the pulpit each Sabbath. Rev. F. M. Sprague, 
who resided in Chelmsford Center, was next hired in 
connection with the Congregational Church of Chelms- 
ford, at an annual salary of twelve hundred dollars, and 
preached on Sabbath forenoons for the church in Carlisle, 
and in the afternoon for the church in Chelmsford. This 
arrangement continued to exist for a term of three years, 



UNION CALVINISTIC CHURCH 217 

and it was on May 25, 1879, that Mr. Sprague preached 
his farewell sermon. During his ministry the churches 
in Carlisle and Chelmsford eacli paid the sum of $375 
annually, and the remaining $450 was paid by the Home 
Missionary Society. 

Rev. James Walker of West Chelmsford was next 
hired by the church and Society, preaching his first 
sermon in the Carlisle Church, June 1, 1879, and his last 
July 8, 1888. During this pastorate he lived in West 
Chelmsford and made week-end trips to attend the 
Friday evening prayer meetings, staying over for the 
Sabbath services. He was of Scotch descent, of a kind 
and sympathetic nature, beloved by his church and 
Society and all who knew him. 

The following is copied from the church records: 
"July 16, 1888. Rev. James Walker, our beloved and 
faithful pastor, died at his home in West Chelmsford 
this A.M." He was of a rugged and robust build, was 
eighty years of age, but in appearance much younger. 
His portrait decorates the walls of the church and was 
presented by his daughter. Miss Janet Walker. His 
funeral service at West Chelmsford, and a memorial 
service in the Carlisle church on the Sabbath following 
his funeral, were conducted by his friend and acquaint- 
ance of long standing, the Rev. Robert Court of Lowell. 

During the pastorate of Rev. James Walker, in the 
year 1882, the church building was thoroughly repaired 
at an expense of seventeen hundred dollars, all but seven 
hundred and fifty dollars of which was raised by sub- 
scription. New colored glass windows were substituted 
for the old ones, the interior was kalsomined and papered, 
three appropriate mottoes were placed on the wall back 
of the pulpit, a modern pulpit supplanted the old desk, 
and new furnishings throughout were supplied. The 
position for the choir was changed from the end of the 



218 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

church opposite the pulpit, to the north side of the pulpit 
platform, a new carpet and chandelier were purchased, 
and new movable seats replaced the old pews. Ten feet 
was added to the east end of the building. The old 
belfry was removed, and a symmetrical spire was erected 
in its place. The entire building was painted inside and 
out. The committee on the repairs were Mr. Nathaniel 
Hutchinson, Deacon H. Prescott, Mr. Arthur Page, 
Miss Alice M. Jones and Mrs. Henry Spaulding, who 
turned over to the church and Society the building thus 
remodelled, and on Sunday, August 20, 1882, services of 
re-dedication were observed. Rev. James Walker 
preached the morning sermon, and the dedicatory address 
was delivered in the afternoon, in the presence of a 
crowded house, by Rev. Russell H. Conwell of Lexington. 

Rev. Joseph Hammond, of Kingston, N. H., sup- 
plied the pulpit for two Sabbaths in April, 1889, as a 
candidate, and proved so satisfactory that he was hired 
to continue, commencing his labors as pastor on May 5, 
1889. He moved to Carlisle with his wife and family 
and occupied the parsonage receiving, in addition to the 
use of the parsonage, an annual salary of seven hundred 
dollars. On May 27, 1894, after a five-years pastorate in 
Carlisle, Mr. Hammond closed his labors here, after 
having tendered his resignation and given three months' 
notice, and accepted a call to the Congregational Church 
in Hancock, N. H. 

During the year ending March 31, 1890, the Society 
treasurer received from John E. Bull, executor of the 
will of the late Abel Taylor, what was to be known as 
the Taylor fund, investments amounting to $7213.20, 
the income to be used by the church and Society toward 
the support of orthodox preaching. 

During the summer of 1894 Rev. Lyman B. Mevis 
of East Douglas, Mass., occupied the pulpit four Sabbaths, 



CARLISLE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH 219 

preaching as a candidate; he proved satisfactory and 
was hired at an annual salary of seven hundred dollars 
and parsonage. He moved to town, occupying the 
parsonage, and commencing his pastoral labors October 
7, 1894. In the year 1895, largely through the efforts of 
the pastor, the interior of the church was improved by 
new paper, new lamps, new stove, and a platform con- 
structed for the church organ. The entire cost was 
about one hundred and thirty dollars which was raised 
by subscription. 

On February 13, 1898, Rev. W. F. Bacon of Medford 
occupied the pulpit both morning and evening. At the 
close of the morning sermon he read a letter of resignation 
from the Carlisle pastor. Rev. Lyman B. Mevis, 
to take effect on or before June 1, 1898, at the pleasure 
of either party. It was, however, on August 14, 1898, 
when Mr, Mevis preached his farewell sermon and closed 
his labors in Carlisle. 

Following Mr. Mevis' pastorate, four different 
clergymen supplied the pulpit as candidates until October 
24, 1898, on which date a meeting of the church and 
Society was held in the church for the choice of a pastor. 
The result of the first ballot was largely in favor of Rev. 
A. Herbert Armes, who accepted the call at an annual 
salary of seven hundred dollars and use of the parsonage, 
which he later occupied, and began his pastoral labors 
here December 1, 1898. 

Carlisle Congregational Church 
On January 8, 1903, a committee, including Rev. 
A. H. Armes, Deacon D. L. Chamberlin and Mr. ^Y. A. 
Prescott, were chosen to incorporate the church. On 
July 2, 1903, a meeting of the resident members of twenty- 
one years of age and upwards of the Union Calvinistic 
(Congregational) Church of Carlisle was held in the 



220 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

church to organize for the purpose of incorporation. 
The meeting was called to order by Herbert P. Dutton, 
the signer of the call, Daniel L. Chamberlin was elected 
temporary chairman, Herbert P. Dutton was elected 
clerk and sworn. It was voted to change the name from 
the Union Calvinistic Church to the Carlisle Congre- 
gational Church, and the by-laws as amended were 
adopted. Daniel L. Chamberlin was elected as modera- 
tor; George E. French was elected treasurer; D. L. 
Chamberlin, George E. French and Albert W. Davis 
were elected trustees. Herbert A. Lee was elected auditor; 
D. L. Chamberlin and Herbert P. Dutton were elected 
deacons; Herbert P. Dutton, Herbert A. Lee and Sidney 
A. Davis were elected ushers. 

The creed, covenant, and articles of faith were read 
and adopted. Charter No. 10165, dated July 22, 1903, 
was signed and issued by the Secretary of the Common- 
wealth, and the latter date indicates the birth of the 
Society under its new name, and the officers named above 
were the first to serve the new Society. 

At the annual meeting of the church, held January 
11, 1905, a letter was read by the church treasurer from 
Mr. James E. Melvin, telling of his gift of one thousand 
dollars to the church, the income from which was to be 
applied toward church expenses. A vote of thanks was 
unanimously passed, and it was voted to accept the gift 
on the terms named by the donor. 

At a church meeting held October 23, 1905, a com- 
mittee previously appointed reported that a parcel of 
land south of the meeting-house, and running parallel 
with the road, suitable for the erection of ten horse-sheds, 
could be purchased for twenty-five dollars. The com- 
mittee were instructed to purchase the land, pass a sub- 
scription paper for funds and if the result was satisfactory 
to go ahead and build the sheds, which they did. 



CARLISLE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH 221 

At the annual meeting of the Society, held April 9, 

1898, Article IV in the warrant was: "To see what action 
the Parish will take in regard to a certain sum of money 
now in Middlesex Institution for Savings to the credit 
of the Society." It was "voted that the Society set this 
.sum, one hundred dollars, apart as a permanent fund for 
the benefit of the Society, to be known as the Duren 
Fund." At the same meeting a letter was read from 
Mr. John E. Bull, of Billerica, donating the sum of $765 
to the Society. A testimonial of appreciation was read 
by the pastor, Rev. Lyman Mevis, and it was "Resolved 
that we accept the sum so given, the same to be invested 
according to his wishes as a permanent fund; also that we 
extend to him our sincere thanks." Also at the same 
meeting it was "voted that the treasurer receive the legacy 
from the Estate of the late Mrs. Joanna Gleason and invest 
the same according to the conditions of the will." The 
amount of this legacy was five thousand dollars, the 
income from which is to be used for church expenses. 

On August 19, 1898, the Union Calvinistic Society 
received from the executor of the will of the late jNIrs. 
Fidelia Wheeler of Acton, Mass., a legacy of one hundred 
dollars, and at a meeting of the Society held on April 8, 

1899, voted to accept the legacy with thanks, and also 
to appropriate the amount toward paying the general 
expense of the parish. 

During the year 1899 a new well was dug and stoned 
up at the parsonage, at an expense including piping of 
$93.69; the amount of this bill was paid by two persons, 
members of the church. 

A special meeting of the Union Calvinistic Society 
was held in the church on Thursday, April 21, 1904. 
The matter under consideration was to see if the Society 
would transfer its property and funds to the Carlisle 
Congregational Church. It was "Voted that the Society 



222 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

take such action as will transfer its property, and any 
property that it may receive hereafter, to the Carlisle 
Congregational Church." This action was taken under 
two votes, one authorizing the transfer of all the real 
estate, and another authorizing and directing the transfer 
of all the personal property, moneys and securities in 
the hands of George E. French, treasurer, and D. L. 
Chamberlin, trustee, to George E. French, treasurer of 
the Carlisle Congregational Church. This action was 
doubtless taken to simplify matters, as what was orig- 
inally known as the Union Calvinistic Church had recently 
been incorporated as the Carlisle Congregational Church;, 
and probably assumed all the business originally trans- 
acted by the church and Society. 

During the year 1905 a number of horse-sheds were 
erected south of the church and parallel with the highway, 
at an exp'ense of $279.09; the funds were provided largely 
by subscription, an additional amount of fifty dollars 
being paid for land. 

On Sunday, November 18, 1906, an exchange was 
arranged, and Rev. David C. Torrey of Bedford preached 
at the Carlisle church. At the close of his sermon he 
read the resignation of Rev. A. Herbert Amies, who had 
been pastor of the church for the preceding eight years. 
A meeting of the church was called for November 26, 
at which it was voted to request the pastor to reconsider 
his resignation, and Mr. W. A. Prescott was chosen to 
consult with him regarding the matter, to report at an 
adjourned meeting the next day. Mr. Armes stated at 
this meeting that he had given the request that he recon- 
sider the matter of his resignation very careful thought, 
but taking all things into consideration he felt that he 
must adhere to his original decision. It was then voted 
that his resignation be accepted, and the following 
testimonial, read by Mr. William A. Prescott, was adopted: 



CARLISLE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH 223 

"Whereas it has seemed best that the pastoral relations 
of the Rev. A. Herbert Amies to the Carhsle Congre- 
gational Church be now closed after eight years of faithful 
service, the members of said church, desiring to show 
their appreciation of the efficient labors of both Mr. and 
Mrs. Arnies in all the departments of church work, give 
this testimonial. We heartily commend their work and 
influence both in the church and community, and feel 
that their removal will mean a distinct loss to all. We 
wish both Mr. and Mrs. Armes much success and happi- 
ness in their new field of labor." 

Mr. Amies' call came from Westminster, Worcester 
County, Mass., to which place he soon removed. 

A number of candidates supplied the pulpit for 
about six months, among whom was Rev. Philip A. Job. 
On June 4, 1907, a church meeting was called to consider 
the choice of a pastor. It was voted that a ballot be 
taken for this purpose which resulted as follows: Whole 
number of ballots cast was eighteen; Mr. Job had eighteen 
and was unanimously chosen. It was voted that he be 
paid an annual salary of eight hundred dollars and that 
he have the use of the parsonage, and be allowed two 
weeks' vacation. On Sunday, July 21, 1907, Mr. Job 
began his work as pastor of the church. During the 
latter year the parsonage was painted at a cost of sixty 
dollars. 

The residence of the late Abel Taylor, who left his 
property on his decease to the Congregational Church 
in Carlisle, was sold by the trustees of the church property 
to Capt. H. W. Wilson for seven hundred dollars. The 
deed was signed by the three trustees on June 17, 1909. 

For a number of years the idea of building a vestry 
or chapel in connection with the Congregational Church 
building had been under consideration by those who 
worshipped there. At the annual business meeting of 



224 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

the church held on January 5, 1910, it was "Voted that a 
building committee of five be appointed, having authority 
to solicit and receive subscriptions and funds to be used 
in the erection of a vestry; and to secure plans for said 
building, to be acted upon at a business meeting of the 
church." The following committee were elected: Mrs. 
W. B. Chamberlin, Mrs. Nettie Davis, Mrs, Lucy R. 
Davis, Rev. Philip A. Job and Herbert A. Lee. 

At the annual business meeting of the church held 
January 5, 1911, the vestry building committee reported 
that they had procured plans from architect Edwin R. 
Clark, of Chelmsford, for the proposed addition to the 
church edifice, to cost approximately two thousand 
dollars. Pledge cards had been circulated among the 
church people and friends, with the result that cash sub- 
scriptions had been received amounting to $535, and 
pledges of $200, which added to an original fund of $350, 
made a total of $1085 available. 

On April 26 a business meeting of the church was 
held, when it was voted to accept the two-story plan, 
with minor modifications, that had previously been con- 
sidered, and that they proceed to build the chapel addition 
as soon as they had the necessary funds or pledges for 
the same. There was a special meeting of the church 
members called for Monday evening, June 5, 1911, to 
hear the report of the vestry committee, and to choose a 
building committee. At this meeting it was "voted 
that a committee of three be elected to serve as a building 
committee." This committee were elected by ballot, 
as follows: Warren B. Chamberlin, Daniel L. Chamberlin 
and Rev. Philip A. Job. 

The plan adopted was for a two-story chapel built 
as an addition to the church, and in order that the lower 
story should be entirely above ground, the church was 
raised about four feet. Authority for doing this was 



CARLISLE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH 

granted at a special meeting of the church called for 
August 7, 1911. At the same meeting the committee 
were instructed to have the church and chapel addition 
wired and supplied with fixtures for electric lights. The 
construction of the new chapel was completed in February, 
1912, twenty-five months after the first definite action 
was taken and the first committee chosen. The service 
of dedication was observed in the church on Wednesday, 
March 6, 1912, commencing at 10.30 a.m. and continued 
all day, with the following program. 

Forenoon 
Organ Voluntary, Gounod's "Marche Romaine." 
Anthem, "Rejoice, Give Thanks and Sing" (Adams) 

Church Quartet. 
Address of V^elcome, Deacon D. L. Chamberlin. 

Historical Address, Rev. Philip A. Job. 

Greetings from the First Parish Church, 

Rev. Granville Pierce. 
Remarks, Rev. W. J. Batt, Concord Junction. 

Letters read from Rev. Joseph Hammond, a former 
pastor and Rev. Martin Lovering, a former resident. 
At 12.30 the ladies o| the church served a dinner in the 
new dining room, which received appreciative comments 
from the guests. 

Afternoon 
Organ Prelude, Richard G. Smith, Boston. 

Anthem of the morning by special request. 
Prayer, Rev. E. C. Hayes, Acton. 

Violin Solo, "Berceuse from Jocelyn" (B. Godard) 

Prof. Ashton Lewis. 
Responsive Reading, 

Led by Rev. David C. Torrey, Bedford. 
Delivery of Keys, by Rev. Philip A. Job, on behalf of the 
Building Committee. 



226 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

Accepted by Deacon D. L. Chamberlin, on behalf of the 

Trustees. 
Original Dedication Poem by Mrs. Lucy Roby Davis, 

Read by Miss Esther Olsen. 
Solo, "Hold Thou My Hand, O Lord" (C. S. Briggs) 
Miss Grace H. Chamberlin, 
With violin obbligato by Professor Lewis. 
Dedication Sermon, Rev. Smith Baker, D.D., Lowell. 
Violin Solo, "Whisperings" {original) Professor Lewis. 
Prayer of Dedication, Rev. Philip A. Job. 

Doxology. 
Benediction. 

The exercises were inspiring and helpful, and were 
attended not only by the townspeople but by a good 
number from Boston, Lowell and the surrounding cities 
and towns. 

Mrs. Mary A. Reynolds of Carlisle presented the 
church with an ornamental pulpit set, and Mrs. Emma 
F. Vinton of Winchester gave a Bible for the pulpit. 

The chapel addition is as large as the church and 
contains on the ground floor a dining room or social hall, 
seating about seventy, a large, light aind convenient 
kitchen, furnace-room, coatroom, and closets. The 
second floor, on a level with the church, is occupied by 
primary classroom, library and main Sunday School 
room, connecting with the church by a sliding partition. 
The building is attractively finished in natural wood. 
A furnace is installed and the entire building equipped 
with electric lights. Much credit was due to the members 
of the building committee for their faithful work and 
especially to the pastor, Rev. Philip A. Job, who in all 
ways was tireless in his efforts. 

The final report of the building committee was 
rendered at the annual business meeting of the church 
held January 8, 1913, and was as follows: "The building 



CARLISLE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH 227 

committee elected at the business meeting of the church 
June 5, 1911, met and organized as follows: Chairman, 

D. L. Chamberlin; secretary, Rev. Philip A. Job. The 
committee called for and received bids on the plans of 

E. R. Clark accepted by the church. After careful con- 
sideration the several contracts were let and the work of 
building began. The committee kept constant over- 
sight of the work, to see that it was properly done 
according to contract. The laying of the foundation was 
begun in August. The carpenters began work Septem- 
ber 25, 1911, and the whole work was completed in the 
following February. The chapel was dedicated March 6, 
1912. 

The committee submit the following statement of 
work done and the cost." 

Architect's fee $25.00 

Raising church 3'9" and moving sheds 230.00 

Stone work, brick work and plastering 481.63 

Carpenters' contract and extras 2,247.52 

Miscellaneous 31.08 

Painting outside of chapel and blinds of church, 

varnishing interior and finishing floor. ... 181.31 

Furnaces for church and chapel 279.77 

Electric lights, contract $104.50; lamps $13.50 118.00 

Chairs for chapel 81.00 

Piano 120.00 

Total cost $3,795.31 

The following communication explains itself. 
"To the Old South Society, Greeting: 

The Carlisle Congregational Church, at its annual 
meeting January 8, 1913, took the following action: 
Voted that we as a church send our sincere thanks to the 
Old South Society for the generous gift of five hundred 
dollars toward the building fund for our chapel. We 
have now occupied and used the new building for some 



228 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

months, and as we realize how much it increases the 
efficiency of the church we feel more and more grateful 
to those who helped us to secure it. That your Society 
and its work may be greatly blessed is our earnest and 
prayerful hope. 

Very sincerely, 

Deacon H. P. Button, Clerk.'' 

On March 31, 1913, the church received twenty-five 
dollars from Mr. Minot Davis, a former resident and 
church attendant, as the nucleus of a fund for installing 
pews in the church. 

Following, with the exception of the above, is a list 
of the funds owned by the church as reported by the 
church treasurer on December 31, 1913: Abel Taylor 
fund, $6609.18; Joanna Gleason fund, $5000; John 
Heald fund, $1000; Hermon Duren fund, $100; 
James E. Melvin fund, $1000; making a total of 
$13,709.18. 

On May 20, 1915, a special business meeting of the 
church was held, at which it was voted to dig a well near 
the church and pipe water from the same to a pump to be 
placed in the church kitchen. Also at this meeting it 
was "voted to accept the gift of a hardwood floor from 
the Christian Endeavor Society and extend to them a 
vote of thanks for the same." More than a year 
prior to this vote the church received from said society 
$112.50 in trust, which doubtless was intended for this 
purpose. 

On August 29, 1915, Rev. Philip A. Job read his 
resignation as pastor of the Carlisle church, to take 
effect October 1 following. Mr. Job was pastor at 
Carlisle for eight years, during which period the new 
chapel was built and repairs made that entailed an 
expense of upward of four thousand dollars; he was 
untiring in his oversight of the details until the work 



ISAAC DUREN LK.\SE 229 

was done and the bills paid. His next pastorate was in 
Fall River, Mass., where he accepted a position as asso- 
ciate pastor at the Central Congregational Church. 

Following Mr. Job, Rev. J. Clarke Reilly supplied 
the pulpit for many Sabbaths, to the great satisfaction 
of the congregation. Other preachers were hired from 
Sabbath to Sabbath, until March 2, 1919, when Rev. 
Benson P. Wilkins, who was a resident of the town, was 
hired at an annual salary of one thousand dollars. 

The following is a list of deacons, and the order in 
which they served, chosen by the church since its organi- 
zation: John Jacobs, John Green, Joseph Heald, Harris 
Bingham, John W. Bruce, Benjamin S. Adams, Humphrey 
Prescott, Joseph Little, Samuel G. Bailey, John E. Bull, 
Daniel L. Chamberlin, George E. French, Herbert P. 
Button, Robert W. McAllister. 

On January 1, 1920, the church numbered seventy- 
three members in good and regular standing, twenty-eight 
male and forty-five female. Thirteen of this number are 
non-residents. 



Isaac Duren Lease 

The following is a copy of the lease of land to Carlisle 
Union Calvinistic Society: "This Indenture made this 
sixth day of April in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred 
and thirty-one, by and between Isaac Duren of Carlisle 
in the County of Middlesex, yeoman, of the one part and 
the Union Calvinistic Society of Carlisle, being a religious 
Society in said town of Carlisle duly organized under the 
statutes of 1823, Chap. 106, of the other part, witnesseth. 
That the said Duren doth hereby lease and demise unto 
the said Union Calvinistic Society of Carlisle and its 
successors, a certain piece of land situated in or near the 
center of said Carlisle and bounded as follows, viz., 



230 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

beginning at a large stone at the northeasterly corner 
by the County road, thence running westerly by said 
road seven rods to a stake and stones thence running 
southerly five rods on said Duren's land to a stake and 
stones, thence running easterly seven rods to a stake 
and stones by the town road, thence running northerly 
six rods to the first mentioned point of beginning, being 
about a quarter of an acre more or less, or however other- 
wise bounded, with the privileges and appurtenances to 
the same belonging. To hold for the term of nine hundred 
and ninety-nine years from the day of the date hereof, 
the said Lessees, yielding and paying rent therefor the 
sum of twenty dollars on the making and delivery of this 
lease, & afterward the sum of one cent for each and 
every year dih'ing the existence of said lease, — the first 
payment to be made on the sixth day of April in the year 
of our Lord eighteen hundred and thirty-two — And 
whereas the said Lessees, the Union Calvinistic Society 
of Carlisle, intend and have agreed to erect a building on 
said premises to be consecrated to the solemn worship 
of Almighty God — now this demise and conveyance is 
made by said Duren to the said society upon this express 
condition, that the said society shall erect such a house 
within two years from this date, and that they and their 
successors during the existence of this lease shall support 
the doctrines of the Gospel as they were embraced and 
maintained by the first settlers of this country, & which 
are now called Orthodox or Evangelical & which faith 
the said society do now openly profess and in case the 
said Society or its successors shall depart from the said 
faith and permit other doctrines to be preached and 
maintained in the said meeting house to be erected on 
the said premises, then and in such case this lease shall 
be forthwith determined and the said Lessor, his Heirs, 
executors, administrators or assigns may immediately 



i 



ISAAC DUREN LEASE 231 

enter into and upon the said premises and expel the 
Lessees their Successors or assigns therefrom. And it is 
also covenanted and agreed by and between the said 
parties that in case the said Society shall hereafter be so 
far prospered as to feel it to be a duty to procure a larger 
house for public worship — now on the happening of 
such event, the said Lessees are hereby authorized to 
change the building to be erected by them on said granted 
premises into a private dwelling house or into a vestry 
and in which case when the same shall be made fit for the 
residence of a private family, and shall actually be 
inhabited or shall be used as a vestry, the said Lessees 
and their successors shall pay to the said Duren, his 
executors and administrators the sum of five dollars 
additional rent for the same to be paid on the same day 
during each and every year of the duration of said lease, 
but liable to forfeiture in the manner aforesaid in case 
the said society or its successors shall not perform the 
above condition in their other house of public worship 
in the maintenance of the same doctrines and the preach- 
ing thereof as aforesaid. And the parties do respectively 
covenant with each other and the respective representa- 
tives of each other for the faithful performance of the 
conditions and covenants herein contained. In witness 
whereof the said Duren hath hereunto set his hand and 
seal and the said society by John Jacobs and Abel Taylor 
their committee for that purpose duly authorized by 
said Society as their agents and attorneys have hereunto 
set their hands and the seal of said society to this and 
another instrument of the like tenor and date and year 
first above written. 

Signed, Sealed and Delivered Isaac Duren [seal] 

In the presence of John Jacobs [seal] 

Aaron Fletcher Abel Taylor [seal] 

Martin Jacobs. 



232 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

Middlesex s.s., April 11, 1831. 
Then personally appeared the within named Isaac 
Duren and Mary Duren his wife and acknowledged this 
Instrument to be their free act and deed before me, 

John Heald, 
Justice of the Peace. 
Middlesex s.s., April 12, 1831, 
Rec'd & Recorded by 

Wm. F. Stowe, Reg'r. 



Chapter XIX 
OLD HOME DAYS 

The Old Home Day feature was first observed by 
the town of Carlisle, July 31, 1912, and proved to be an 
occasion of general interest to the people of the town and 
to the native and adopted sons and daughters who had 
been called to other localities, but had now returned for 
the day's festivities at this beautiful season of the year. 
The stars and stripes were waving from the tall liberty 
pole on the Common, and the Soldiers' Monument on 
Monument Square was decorated with flags and flowers. 
The temperature was that of a good old summer day. 
At ten o'clock there was a parade, introducing various 
features, headed by the band from the County Training 
School at North Chelmsford. Lieut. E. S. Ricker was the 
chief marshal, and William F. Robbins carried the national 
colors. Following were automobiles and bicycles with dec- 
orations, an old-fashioned one-horse chaise and a band 
of Carlisle Indians, very realistic in their dress. 

The judges in making their awards decided as fol- 
lows: Best trade feature, J. S. Anthony, a float represent- 
ing the mason's trade; best local hit, George W. Hibbard, 
representing the milk industry; best novelty, Mrs. Edwin 
Currier, a baby riding among the corn stalks; best light 
hitch, Frank J. Biggi: worst appearing vehicle, Alfred 
Sargent, in the one-horse chaisfe. 

After the i)arade there was music by the band, and 
a general season of sociability. There were refreshment 
booths selling cold drinks and ice cream, and coffee was 
provided free during the noon hour, when a basket picnic 

233 



234 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

was enjoyed in the grove. The afternoon was devoted to 
a series of sports on the Common. The general committee 
in charge were as follows : Rev. Granville Pierce, chairman; 
Anna Hanson, secretary; Frank J. Biggi, Ralph Gerow, 
Albert W. Davis, Herbert P. Dutton, Winifred Lee, 
George E. Wilkins, James H. Wilkins, Warren C. Duren, 
Netting O. Wilson. Six sub-committees had charge of 
the various features. 

The second Old Home Day was Tuesday, August 12, 
1913. Music was furnished by the O. M. I. fife and drum 
corps of Lowell. 

"Now let the merriest tales be told. 
And let the sweetest songs be sung. 
That ever made the old heart young." 

The forenoon program was as follows: ten o'clock, 
parade, with prizes awarded for the following features: 
Best working team; best gentleman's driving team; 
automobile; float; novelty; trade exhibit. Other worthy 
exhibits received consideration. The chief marshal of the 
parade was Edson B. Robbins. 

Sporting features included putting the shot, standing 
broad jump, standing high jump, running broad jump, 
running high jump, potato races. There was a concert 
by the drum corps, and dinner was served at 12.30, with 
coffee furnished free to all. The afternoon program began 
at two o'clock and was as follows: Bicycle race for boys; 
fifty-yard dash for boys under ten years; seventy-five- 
yard dash for boys between ten and sixteen years; fifty- 
yard dash for girls; one-hundred-yard dash open to all; 
tug-of-war, captains E. B. Robbins and Charles Dunton; 
relay race for boys; slow driving race; three-legged race; 
sack races: milkmaids' contest. First and second prizes 
were awarded. 

The general committee consisted of Rev. Granville 
Pierce, chairman; George E. Wilkins, H. W. Wilson, 



OLD HOME DAYS 2S5 

E. B. Rose, W. B. Chamberlin, Warren C. Duren, Her- 
bert P. Dutton. There were nine sub-committees. 

The third Old Home Day was observed Thursday, 
August 20, 1914. 

'"This fond attachment to the well-known place 
Whence first we started into life's long race 
Maintains its hold with such unfailing sway 
We feel it e'en in age, and at our latest day." 
The morning program began at 9.30 o'clock and 
included: Ball game; one-huhdred-yard dash free for all; 
seventy-five-yard dash for boys under fifteen years of age; 
fifty-yard dash for boys under ten years of age; seventy- 
five yard dash for girls, free for all; running high jump; 
standing broad jump; standing high jump; putting the 
shot; potato race for girls; tug-of-war for young men under 
twenty years, captains Oscar E. Pedersen and Charles S. 
Davis; milk can contest for women; milk can contest for 
men. Prizes were awarded in the various events and 
entertainment was furnished by Ray Newton the magi- 
cian. There was music at intervals by the band, and 
basket lunch was enjoyed at 12.30. 

The program of the afternoon included addresses by 
Gov. David I. Walsh, Senator Edward Fisher and others. 
Mrs. Dorothy Berry Carpenter gave several readings. 

The committee this year was: President, Dr. George 
P. Towle; vice-president, Herbert A. Lee; secretary, 
Edmund L. French; treasurer, George G. Wilkins. 

The tourth Old Home Day celebration was observed 
Friday, August 20, 1915. 

"Breathes there a man with soul so dead, 
Who never to himself hath said, 
'This is my own, my native land!' 
Whose heart hath ne'er within him burn'd, 
As home his footsteps he hath turn'd. 
From wandering on a foreign strand!" 



236 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

The morning program included a fine parade, with 
prizes for the best features, followed by general sports. 
There was music by the North Chelmsford Training 
School Band. At 12.30 dinner was furnished by R. J. 
Harvey, caterer, of Lowell, in the banquet hall of the 
First Parish Church. 

In the afternoon a large audience listened to an 
address of welcome, by Rev. Elvin J. Prescott; with 
addresses by Senator Charles A. Kimball of Littleton 
and Mr. Hall of Acton. There were also readings by 
Mrs. Belle Harrington Hall of Lowell. 

The committee in charge were: President, William 
Foss, Jr.; vice-president, James S. Anthony; secretary, 
Edmund L. French; treasurer, George G. Wilkins. These 
officers were assisted by eight committees. 

The fifth Old Home Day was observed on Monday, 
September 1, 1919, and was of more than usual interest 
because it was observed in connection with a reception 
tendered to the Carlisle soldiers and sailors returned 
from the World War. An added feature of the occasion 
was the patriotic decoration of the public buildings, 
churches and dwellings in the town, giving the town a 
holiday appearance befitting the main feature of the 
occasion. 
" 'Tis sweet to hear the watch-dog's honest bark. 

Bay deep-mouthed welcome as we draw near home; 
'Tis sweet to know there is an eye to mark 

Om* coming, and look brighter when we come." 

The celebration began with the ringing of church 
bells and flag raising at sunrise, followed by a short service 
in the Unitarian Church. As usual, there was a ball 
game and parade, with concert by Pettiner's Orchestra 
of Waltham. Buffet lunch was served by R. J. Harvey, 
the caterer, in the banquet hall of the First Parish Church. 

In the afternoon, following a concert by the orchestra, 



OLD HOME DAYS 



237 



there was an able address delivered by Hon. Albert P. 
Langtry, Secretary of the Commonwealth. Then followed 
a musical program in the First Parish Church, a program 
of minor sports on the Common, tlic day concluding 
with an informal dance for the people of the town and 
their guests. 

The general committee was: President, William Foss, 
Jr.; vice-president, James S. Anthony; secretary, Edmund 
L. French; treasurer, George G. Wilkins. There were 
eight committees assigned to the various details of the 
day's proceedings. 

The ball game was a spirited contest between the 
married and single men, and was won by the former by a 
score of ten to eight. The parade was the main event of 
the morning and included some really novel features. 
Lieut. Edward S. Ricker, mounted on his cavalry steed, 
was chief marshal, and ably directed the movements of 
the long line. There was a good representation of the 
twenty World War veterans who had served to the 
credit of the town; there were also Grand Army veterans, 
in addition to the many features usually included in the 
parade. Miss Edna Currier won the first prize; Mr. B. F. 
Blaisdell the second; and Mrs. W. S. Barrett the third 
prize for decorated automobiles. The first prize for the 
best float feature was awarded to Mrs. Nettie O. Wilson, 
and the second prize to Mr. Sorli. The first prize for fea- 
tures on foot went to the women carrying the large 
American flag, and the second prize went to the fisher- 
men, who carried a string of native fish larger than usually 
seen. 

In the afternoon, at the First Parish Church, Mr. 
James H. Wilkins presided and introduced the speakers, 
including Hon. Albert P. Langtry, Rev. Edgar C. Abbott 
of Boston, and a former pastor of the church, and ]Mr. 
Simon B. Harris of Lowell. Tliey all held the closest 



238 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

attention of the audience, which completely filled the 
auditorium. Following the speaking was a musical pro- 
gram, including numbers by Mr. McCarthy and Miss 
Tora Pederson of Lowell, Mrs. Mason Bennett of Boston, 
Mrs. Leo L. Jones of North Adams, Miss Ruth L. Cham- 
berlin and F. E. Robbins of Carlisle. 



Chapter XX 
TOPOGRAPHY 

Carlisle, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, is 
bounded on the north by Chelmsford and Billerica; on 
the east by Billerica and Bedford; on the south by Con- 
cord; and on the west by Acton and Westford; and had 
assessed in the year 1917, 9886 acres of land. The loca- 
tion is considered extremely healthful and comfortable, 
being just far enough from the salt water to be properly 
tempered by the ocean breezes, but near enough to escape 
the extremes of heat or cold that locations farther inland 
experience. 

The contour of the landscape is typical of New 
England, being undulating or diversified with hill and 
dale, giving the section a pleasing variety of scenery that 
is not monotonous. 

Carlisle is an agricultural town, and the land gives 
good returns for the efforts of the husbandman. Being 
located but eighteen miles from Boston, and nine miles 
from Lowell, good markets are within easy access by 
team or truck. 

The mean altitude of the town is two hundred feet 
above sea level, that being the altitude of the center of 
the town. There are four hills in the town that attain 
altitudes as follows: School House Hill has an altitude of 
240 feet; Bellow Hill in the southern part has an altitude 
of 260 feet; Wilkins Hill in the western part is 300 feet; 
and Wilson Hill in the eastern part is 380 feet. There 
are no natural ponds or lakes in the town large enough 
to receive a name. Tophet Swamp, a brushy and wooded 

239 



240 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

marsh, occupies a central position in the area of the town, 
and has an altitude of one hundred and eighty feet above 
sea level; that really amounts to a divide, as all streams 
of water having their source on its northern border flow 
to the north, and those rising on its southern border flow 
to the south. 

River Meadow Brook (also later known as Hale's 
Brook, from the fact that one Moses Hale of Lowell, in 
1790, erected a fulling mill on it at Lowell, and later other 
mills, where he carried on an extensive and varied busi- 
ness), has its source in Heart Pond, Chelmsford, and 
runs in a northeasterly course through Carlisle and 
Chelmsford, and empties into the Concord River in 
Lowell, at a point nearly west of Fort Hill Park. For 
many years subsequent to 1870, Mr. Almon B. Rose 
carried on the hoop business (sawing birch hoops used 
in strapping boxes) in a shop upon this brook in the north- 
erly part of Carlisle, for which the water of the brook 
furnished the motive power. About a half mile farther 
east on the same brook was a grist and sawmill owned 
and operated by Mr. Charles E. Adams. 

Spencer Brook rises west of the center of Carlisle 
and is fed by a branch rising north of Bellow Hill, and 
runs in a southwesterly direction through Carlisle and 
Concord, its waters finally reach the Concord River. 
For twenty years or more subsequent to 1870 there was 
a hoop factor}^ on this brook, owned and run by Mr. 
Nathan Buttrick and sons. 

Page's Brook rises in Tophet Swamp in Carlisle 
and runs in a southerly direction, thence in a northeasterly 
direction and empties into the Concord River in South 
Billerica; this stream formerly supplied water power for 
Green's sawmill, a half mile east from Carlisle Center, 
and farther east in Carlisle was the motive power for 
Capt. Thomas Page's gristmill, in consideration of which 



TOPOGRAPHY 241 

it was named Page's Brook. Captain Page purchased and 
occupied what was originally the Solomon Andrews farm, 
on which the mill was located, about the year 1830, and 
may have erected the mill himself. It is known that it 
was operated in his name from that date until August, 
1860, when he died, and was not used for mill purposes 
after that time. Mr. John Hodgman was employed by 
Captain Page to grind the grain, and during the winter 
season was at the mill day and evening. The mill was 
taken down about the year 1885, and the two millstones 
that remained were sold and removed about 1917. 

The Concord River is the boundary line between 
Carlisle and Bedford, and furnishes for Carlisle a mile 
and a half of river frontage. 

After living in Carlisle for a period of twenty-two 
years, and in consideration of opinions formed from experi- 
ence and observations, the author earlier in this article 
made the following assertion relative to its climate and 
kindred health conditions: "The location is considered 
extremely healthful and comfortable." A quotation from 
a Lowell newspaper, written twenty years earlier, by 
another hand, provides unimpeachable evidence of the 
truth of the assertion: 

"Carlisle has something of a record in golden wed- 
ding anniversaries during the past nine years. Notably, 
July 6, 1893, was the fiftieth anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. 
George F. Duren. In less than a year, April 14, 1894, 
the golden wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Nathaniel Hutchin- 
son. Mr. Duren and Mrs. Hutchinson were brother and 
sister and lived side by side. September 20, 1895, was 
celebrated the golden wedding of Mr. and jNIrs. Horace 
N. Wilson. On June 14, 1899, was the sixtieth wedding 
anniversary of Dr. and ]\lrs. Austin jNIarsh; December 25, 
1901, Mr. and Mrs. Amos K. Baldwin; May 10, 1902, 
Mr. and Mrs. Oilman Nickles; and June 10, 1902, Mr. 



242 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

and Mrs. George W. Wilkins. Four of the number have 
joined "the innumerable throng," while ten still live, the 
evidence of life and health conditions in Carlisle condu- 
cive to longevity." 

In the early existence of the town no mortality records 
were kept. From the year 1800 to 1826 the first pastor of 
the town. Rev. Paul Litchfield, regularly recorded the 
deaths as they occurred. Culling from his records we 
find the following list of persons who lived to the age of 
ninety years or more, which appears to be a remarkably 
good showing for a town of six hundred population: 

1800. April 19, Jonathan Spaulding 95 years 

1803. June 28, Wid. S. Fletcher 94 years 

1807. September 11, Wid. R. Heald 90 years 

1808. April 4, Wid. E. Nichols 94 years 

1810. February 5, Wid. L. Spaulding 93 years 

1812. December 22, Joseph Barrett 91 years 

1815. January 21, William Wilson 94 years 

1816. November 30, John Waters 98 years 

1817. April 28, Wid. M. Parker 93 years 

1819. September 23, Amos Kidder 90 years 

1821. December 5, Wid. R. Monroe 99 years 

1826. January 10, Isaac Wilkins 92 years 

1826. November 17, Wid. L. Russell 95 years 



The Copper Mine 
The Carlisle copper mine was located on what is 
now (1920) known as the Captain Wilson estate and the 
Edward J. Carr estate, in the southerly part of the town, 
about a mile from the center. Henry N. Hooper & Com- 
pany, of Boston, church bell founders, were in charge 
of the work, which was carried on intermittently for a 
period of ten years from 1840. Major B. F. Heald, late 
of Carlisle, lived near the property, and was general super- 



TOPOGRAPHY 243 

intendent during the entire period. A shaft was sunk to 
the depth of about two hundred and twenty feet, being 
the same depth as the height of Bunker Hill Monument 
in Charlestown. The ore was hauled to Boston for smelt- 
ing by ox teams, which proved so expensive that Hooper 
& Company who were the leading church bell founders 
and casters in the country at that time, decided to erect 
a smelter of their own on the property; but as the fumes 
from the smelter would injure vegetation, it became 
necessary for the company to purchase the adjoining 
farms in order to relieve them from the liability of paying 
damages. This they were unable to do, because of the 
excessive price charged by the owners of the land, and 
the idea was abandoned. 

Quite a little village sprang up in connection with 
the mining operations. There were four miners' dwell- 
ings, a shaft house, blacksmith shop, cookhouse, barn, 
and other buildings. One Abel Hodgman had a store on 
the Carr estate, near the road. The result of working 
the mine was fairly satisfactory, and probably furnished 
the company with the copper used in connection with 
their bell founding, and possibly more, but the industry 
was abandoned in 1849, upon the discovery of the Lake 
Superior copper mines in Michigan. 

Granite 

There are doubtless fine granite ledges in Carlisle. 
Three of the adjoining towns, have valuable ledges that 
are being worked: Acton, Westford and Chelmsford, 
Carlisle has a ledge in the westerly part of the town, 
near Carlisle station on the Old Colony Road, that fur- 
nished the base for the Minute Man Monument in Concord, 
which might be considered indicative of something better, 
being found at a greater depth. 



2U 



HISTORY OF CARLISLE 



KEY TO CARLISLE TOWN PLAN 



3 
4 
5 
6 
7, 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16, 
17 
18, 
19 
20, 
21, 
22, 
23 
24, 
2.5, 
26 
27. 
28. 
29, 
30, 
31. 
32. 
33. 
34. 
35. 
36. 
37. 
38. 
39. 
40. 
41. 
42. 
43. 
44. 
45. 
46. 
47. 
48. 
49. 
50. 



W. Blaisdell 51. 

D. Hardy, Est. 52. 
N. S. Hutchins 53. 
S. B. Chamberlain 54. 

E. O. Robbins 55. 
H. Martin 56. 
I. B. Hall 57. 
A. Nickles 58. 
S. J. Nickles 59. 
G. Hay ward 60. 
School No. 4 61. 
Timothy Adams 

Miss J. Adams 62. 

Saw Mill 63. 

Mrs. O. E. Shurtleff 64. 

Mrs. O. Nickles 65. 

A. P. and A. Nickles 66. 



H. N. Wilson 
Town Farm 
L. W^ Hazelton 
Loren Kelley 
J. Hodgman 
Mrs. E. Wilkins 
Hoop Shop 
E. B. Rose 
E. B. Rose 
W. Hall 

D. Lane 

P. Sullivan, Est. 
G. Hodgeman 
N. A. Tavlor 
Mrs. W. Munroe 

E. E. Wilkins 
S. H. Robbins 



67. 

68. 
69. 
70. 

71. 
72. 
73. 
74. 
75. 
76. 
77. 
78. 
79. 
80. 
81. 
82. 
83. 



Mrs. C. Richardson 84. 

T. Wilkins 85. 

School No. 3 86. 

J. Nones 87. 

C. Nickles 88. 

Mrs. Nickles 89. 

J. O. Dav 90. 

Mrs. L. A. Walker 91. 

A. Heald 92. 

J. W. Heald 93. 

S. Lovering 94. 

F. A. Page 95. 

M. Carter 96. 

W. C. Koford 97. 

C. H. Hutchinson 98. 

Mrs. S. A. Carter 99. 



A. A. Adams 100. 

G. H. Robbins 101. 

H. S. Scarlet 102. 

J. Simenson 103. 

School No. 2 104. 

Mrs. M. Parkhurst 105. 

H. W. Wilson 106. 

A. M. Dunn 107. 

Mrs. S. G. Bailey 108. 

Blacksmith Shop 109. 

Hoop Mill— 110. 

A. Buttrick 111. 

W^illiam H. Hood 112. 

W. Keniston 113. 

A. Larson 114. 

E. J. Carr 115. 

E. Sweenev 116. 

J. Swallow 117. 

E. Page 1 18. 

G. P. Nickles 119. 

School No. 1 120. 
L. M. Green 

H. Prescott 121. 

Cider Mill 122. 
Miss H. L. C. Green 

A. K. Baldwin 123. 
J. Long 

Bartholemew O'Neil 124. 
Mrs. E. M. G. Stearns 125. 
Mrs. E. M. G. Stearns 126. 
T. A. Green 

B. F. Blaisdell 127. 
E. S. Hutchins 

Saw Mill 128. 

C. Furbush 129. 
Mrs. L. Davis 130. 
Mrs. C. For bush 

J. Davis 131. 

M. Sexton 132. 
Mrs. S. L. Hammond 133. 

A. Duren 131. 

E. Jordan 135. 

V. Munroe 136. 

Mrs. F. R. Hatch 137. 

School No. 5 138. 

W. S. Lee 139. 

Asa Duren 140. 

J. P. Rounds 141. 

Hot House 142. 

G. F. French 143. 



Mrs. B. Ford 
M. Hanson 

A. Biggi 

G. S. Skelton 
E. Petersen 
L. Hodgman 
W. W. Morse 
C. E. Adams 

B. Shirtliff 
E. Cushing 
A. Hill 

Mrs. M. Duren 
W. B. Proctor 
Mrs. G. Marshall 
James Taylor 
A. Bovnton 
G. A. Hosley 
William Green 
William Green 
Mrs. Barrett 
Congregational Par- 
sonage 
S. T. Fletcher 

A. T. Munroe and B. E. 
Webster 

W'illiam Green, Corn 

House 
I. Blaisdell 

B. F. Blaisdell 

Ice House and Car- 
riage Shed 

S. A. and J. E. Bull — 
Store and Post Office 

A. Boynton, Res. 

Mrs. M. Green 

T. J. Green and J. W. 
Wilkins 

G. F. Duren 

Cider Mill 

N. Hutchinson 

J. Reynolds 

Unitarian Chiu-ch 

Congregational Church 

A. Taylor 

S. E. Scott 

P. Nickles 

J. Abbot 

G. W. Page 

Blacksmith Shop 

M. Lee 




/i/l/> 0^ C/ieL/3l^ TOH^A^J/Z/P 



* ... .i .... 



RS7TTT 







Pc^N OF Cot^MON Noilb 

Caslislb. Ce/wren 
BY. S. /?. Bull. 




.0/ 'JlxFiraH1eGtingHooi< 

'jv .^ a Second Meeting Houit 



7/ 



Drawn oy War.ren H.^annihg Officcs 



SoaH> 



Inc.- North BiLueRicA , Ma55 

l305-i. 



Chapter XXI 
CARLISLE SOLDIERS IN THE WORLD WAR 

Following are the names and record of service of 
soldiers from Carlisle who served in the World War, as 
compiled by Mrs. Benson P. Wilkins of Carlisle: 

Charles A. Carr, Corporal, Co. A, 89th Infantry, 
20th Division. Enlisted Aug. 1, 1918; discharged May 1, 
1919. Fort Oglethorpe, Ga. Served in U. S. : Camp 
Sevier, four months, Fort Oglethorpe, five months. 

Charles S. Davis, Stable Sergeant, Supply Co., 104th 
Infantry, Co. I, 6th Mass. N. B. Enlisted April 13, 
1917; discharged April 28, 1919, Camp Devens, Mass. 
Served in IT. S. : Camp Darling, Framingham, Mass.; 
Camp Devens, Ayer, Mass.; Camp Bartlett, Westfield, 
Mass. ; Camp Hill, Newport News, Va. Served in France : 
(battles) Chemin des Dames sector, Feb. 8 to March 20, 
1918; Bois-Brule offensive, April 10 to 14; Marne salient, 
Pas Finis sector, July 4 to Aug. 1, 1918; Aisne-Marne 
offensive, July 18 to 23, 1918; St. Mihiel offensive, Sept. 
12 to 15, 1918; Meuse-Argonne offensive, Oct. 14 to Nov. 
11, 1918. 

Guisippi Donato, Private, F Co., 36th Reg. Infantry. 
Selective draft induction Aug. 1, 1918; discharged Dec. 1, 

1918, Camp Devens, Mass. Served in U. S.: Camp 
Devens, Ayer, Mass., four months. 

Roscoe Everett Fadden, Private, 101st Engineer 
Train. Enlisted June 28, 1916; discharged April 28, 

1919. Served in LT. S. : Camp Darling, Framingham, 
Mass.; Camp Devens, Ayer, Mass. Served in France: 
(battles) Chemin des Dames, Feb. 10 to March 21, 1918; 

216 



I 



CARLISLE SOLDIERS IN THE WORLD WAR 247 

Toul sector, April 1 to June 26, 1918; Pas Finis sector, 
July 7 to July 15, 1918; Champagne-Marne offensive, 
July 15 to 18, 1918; Aisne-Marne offensive, July 18 to 
Aug. 1, 1918; Rupt sector, Sept. 2 to 12, 1918; St. Mihiel 
offensive, Sept. 12 to 16, 1918; Troyon sector, Sept. 16 
to Oct. 12, 1918; Meuse-Argonne offensive to Nov. 11, 
1918. 

Ralph A. Gerow, Private, Merchant Marine and 
Infantry. Enlisted (Merchant Marine), Sept. 13, 1918; 
selective draft induction, Oct. 23, 1918; discharged Dec. 
23, 1918, Camp Dix, N. J. Served in U. S. : Camp Wheeler, 
Ga., two and one-half months. Camp Dix, N. J., one-half 
month. 

Harold W. Koford, Private, Medical Attachment. 
In selective draft, Sept. 5, 1918; discharged Jan. 29, 1919, 
Plattsburg, N. Y. Served in U. S.: Camp at Syracuse, 
N. Y., one and one-half months, Plattsburg, N. Y., three 
months. 

George Little, Jr., Corporal, Military Police, Mounted 
Branch. Selective draft induction, July 21, 1918; dis- 
charged, Jan. 28, 1919, Camp Devens, Mass. Served in 
U. S. : Camp Devens, Ayer, Mass., six months. 

James H. Lovering, Corporal, Coast Artillery Corps, 
1st class gunner. Coast Defenses of Boston. Enlisted, 
Dec. 13, 1917; discharged Dec. 12, 1918, Camp Devens, 
Mass. Served in U. S. : Fort Andrews, Mass., Fort Banks, 
Mass., Fortress Munroe, Virginia. 

William Mernick, Wagoner, 20th Field Artillery, 
5th Division. Selective draft induction, Oct., 1917; dis- 
charged July 22, 1919, Camp Devens, Mass. Served in 
U. S.: Camp Devens, Ayer, Mass.; Kelly Field, Texas; 
Camp McArthur, Texas; Camp Upton, N. Y. Served in 
England, en route, Luxemburg, five months, Germany, 
three months. Army of Occupation; France, seven months. 
(Battles) Verdun, :Meuse, St. Mihiel, both defense and 



248 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

offense, Vosges Mt. and Frapelle. Included in divisional 
decorations. 

Charles Robert Miller, Jr., Corporal, Engineer Truck, 
Co. 4, 23d Engineers. Enlisted Dec. 7, 1917; discharged 
July 17, 1919, Camp Devens. Served in U. S.: Camp 
Humphrey, Va., two months. Camp Lamb, Md., two 
months. Served in France, sixteen months: (battles) 
St. Mihiel, Aug. 25 to Sept. 20, 1918; Argonne-Meuse, 
Sept. 20 to Nov. 11, 1918. 

Frank Oscar Miller, Private, 1st class, 42d Brig., 
Hdq. Co., Coast Artillery Corps. Enlisted July 30, 1918; 
discharged Dec. 22, 1918, Camp Devens, Mass. Served 
in U. S., Fort Revere, Deer Island, Mass., two weeks; 
Fort Andrews, Mass.; Fort Banks, Mass.; Fort Strong, 
Mass.; Camp Eustis, Va. Special honor : "Sharp Shooters 
Medal." 

Ernest D. Peck, Private, Quartermaster Corps and 
40th Co., Depot Brig. Selective draft induction Aug. 8, 
1918; discharged Dec. 28, 1918, Scituate, Mass. Served 
in U. S. : Camp Devens, Mass., three months; Scituate 
Proving Grounds, two months. 

Edwin Petersen, Private, Co. D, 104th Infantry. 
Enhsted March 28, 1916; discharged April 28, 1919, 
Camp Devens. Served in U. S. : Camp Devens, Ayer, 
Mass.; Camp Darling, Framingham, Mass.; Camp Bart- 
lett, Westfield, Mass. Served in England and France. 
(Battles) Chemin des Dames, Feb. 10 to March 21, 1918; 
Toul sector, April 1 to June 26, 1918; Pas Finis sector, 
July 7 to 15, 1918; Champagne-Marne offensive, July 15 
to 18, 1918; Aisne-Marne offensive, July 18 to Aug. 1, 
1918; Rupt sector, Sept. 2 to 12, 1918; St. Mihiel offen- 
sive, Sept. 12 to 16, 1918; Troyon sector, Sept. 16 to Oct. 
12, 1918; Meuse-Argonne offensive to Nov. 11, 1918. 
Wounded once, gassed once. Special honors: divisional 
championship in drill and tournament; also in Lorraine 



CARLISLE SOLDIERS IN THE WORLD WAR 249 

Battle; regiment received citation; Co. D received two 
decorations. 

John Albert Petersen, Private, Co. D, 104th Infantry. 
Enlisted March 2, 1917; discharged Feb. 22, 1919, Camp 
Devens, Mass. Served in U. S.: Camp Westfield, Mass.; 
Camp Darling, Framingham, Mass.; Camp Devens, 
Aj^er, Mass.; Camp Upton, N. Y. and Newport News, 
Va. Served in France, eighteen months: (battles) Cha- 
teau-Thierry (wounded); Chemin des Dames, Feb, 10 to 
March 21, 1918; Toul sector, April 1 to June 26, 1918; 
Pas Finis sector, July 7 to 15, 1918; Champagne-Marne 
offensive, July 15 to 18, 1918; Aisne-Marne offensive, 
July 18 to Aug. 1, 1918; Rupt sector, Sept. 2 to 12, 1918; 
St. Mihiel offensive, Sept. 12 to 16, 1918; Troyon sector, 
Sept. 16 to Oct. 12, 1918; Meuse-Argonne offensive to 
Nov. 11, 1918 (nine months at the front). AYounded 
once. Received regimental citation, Co. D decoration. 

Paul Petersen, Corporal, 212th Engineers, 12th Divi- 
sion. Selective draft induction, July 22, 1918; discharged 
Jan. 22, 1919, Camp Devens, Mass. Served in U. S. : 
Camp Devens, Ayer, Mass., six months. 

Oscar E. Pedersen, Sergeant, Co. E, 312th Engineers, 
Pioneer and Construction Regiment. Selective draft 
induction, July 26, 1918; discharged June 25, 1919, Camp 
Dix, N. J. Served in U. S. : Camp Dix, N. J., two and 
one-half months. Morn Hill, England, ten days. France, 
Camp Hunt, five months and other smaller places five 
months. 

Raymond Eaton Sargent, Wagoner, 101st Engineer 
Train. Enhsted April 15, 1917; discharged April 28, 
1919, Camp Devens, Mass. Served in U. S. : Camp Darl- 
ing, Framingham, Mass.; Camp Devens, Ayer, Mass. 
Served in France: (battles) Chemin des Dames, Feb. 10 
to March 21, 1918; Toul sector, April 1 to June 26, 1918; 
Pas Finis sector, July 7 to 15, 1918; Champagne-Marne 



250 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

offensive, July 18 to Aug. 6, 1918; Rupt sector, Sept. 2 
to 12, 1918; St. Mihiel offensive, Sept, 12 to 16, 1918; 
Troyon sector, Sept. 14 to Oct. 10, 1918; Meuse-Argonne 
offensive, Sept. 26 to Nov. 11, 1918. 

William R. Schoolcraft, Corporal, 9tli Machine Gun 
Battalion, Co. B, 3d Division. Enlisted July 25, 1917; 
discharged Feb. 28, 1919, Camp Devens, Mass. Served 
in U. S. nine months: Syracuse, N. Y., three months; 
Camp Greene, N. C, five months; Camp Merritt, N. J., 
Camp Stuart, Norfolk, Virginia. Served in France, nine 
months: (battles) Chateau-Thierry, Vesle drive, Metz, 
Verdun, second Battle of the Marne. Wounded at the 
Marne (two bullets); at Verdun (two bullets). 

Joseph Andrew Sorli, Private, Field Artillery. En- 
listed July 10, 1917; discharged Sept. 29, 1917, Camp 
Curtis Guild (medical discharge, tuberculosis). Served 
in U. S.: Camp Bartlett, New London, Conn.; Camp 
Curtis Guild, Boxford, Mass. Not contented to reimain 
out of the army, Mr. Sorli enlisted with the Canadians. 
His record follows: Joseph Andrew Sorli, Sapper, 13th 
Canadian Railway Troops. Enlisted Nov. 30, 1917; 
discharged, April 7, 1919, Montreal, Canada. Served 
in England, two months. Served in France, thirteen 
months; participating in all the battles from Amiens, 
France to Mons, Belgium. Slightly gassed, but recovered 
without hospital treatment. 

Waldo Danforth Wilson, 3d class Cook, Merchant 
Marine. Enhsted Oct. 11, 1918; discharged May 7, 1919, 
Boston, Mass. Served in U. S. waters: U.S.S. Meade; 
U.S.S. Gov. Dingley; U.S.S. Minnesota. 




VICTOIJIA l'AI{K. CARLISLE. KNCiLAM) 




.\L\l{Ki:i' l'L\( i;. ( AULISLK, KNCLAM) 



Chapter XXII 

CARLISLE, ENGLAND 

"Billerica, Mass., U. S. A., January 16, 1919. 
Town Clerk, Carlisle, Cumberland County, England. 

My Dear Sir: I am engaged at the present time in 
writing a history of the town of Carlisle, Massachusetts, 
which was incorporated as a district in 1754 and as a town 
in 180.5. The name was derived from Carlisle in Cumber- 
land County, England, the birthplace and early home of 
James Adams, said to have been banished from England 
by Oliver Cromwell for political offenses about 1640, 
and who was said to have been the first white man to 
settle within the limits of this district. 

Our Carlisle is not large in territory or in population, 
including in all about ten thousand acres of land, with a 
population of five hundred people. It is, however, very 
prettily diversified with hill and dale, and has for a por- 
tion of its eastern boundary the placid Concord River. 
It is strictly an agricultural community, and is located 
eighteen miles northwest from Boston. 

It was my privilege to live in the town for twenty- 
two years, during which period I became very much 
attached to it, and to its people, and carried on while 
there its principal mercantile business, besides being post- 
master for twenty years of the time. 

In July, 1878, I passed through your city while 
making a tour of England and a portion of Europe, and 
have very pleasant memories of Carlisle as seen from the 
car window. I am asking if you will not send me a little 
description of the senior town, its population, industries, 

251 



252 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

people, location in the beautiful Eden valley, or any 
interesting information to be incorporated in my history. 
I shall appreciate the favor, and I know posterity will 
also. Thanking you in advance, and assuring you I shall 
be only too willing to reciprocate a similar favor, I am 
very truly yours, 

Sidney A. Bull." 

In response to the foregoing request, the author 
received a very courteous letter, and books of informa- 
tion, from which he has gleaned the following historic 
items. 

Carlisle, Cumberland County, England, stands on a 
gentle eminence almost surrounded by the rivers Eden, 
Caldew and Petteril, and in the midst of an extensive 
tract of fertile agricultural country in the north of Eng- 
land, and very close to the Scottish border. 

The city is one of great antiquity, and its recorded 
history is complete since the year 1092. It is the only 
city in England which bears a purely British name, and 
in addition is one of the oldest cathedral cities. 

Originally a Roman station, it was destroyed by 
the Danes in 875, and restored by William Rufus, who 
built the castle in 1092. He, or Henry I, encircled the 
town with a strong wall, a means of defense, which was 
later improved by King Stephen. 

The town was the scene of many struggles between 
the Scottish and English forces, and it was after the year 
1745 that it was captured by the Duke of Cumberland, 
and after the final defeat of Prince Charles a number of 
his supporters were executed and their heads suspended 
on the city gates. 

Carlisle is served by seven of the leading English 
railways, and has a large and attractive railroad station. 
A system of electric tram ways, owned by a private com- 



CARLISLE, ENGLAND 253 

pany, provides rapid transit within the city Hmits. Other 
municipal utilities, including gas, electricity and water, 
are supplied by the city; the two former furnish substan- 
tial profits, while the rates charged are comparatively 
low. 

There are many prosperous industries established in 
the city, including large engineering works, textile fac- 
tories, cotton bleaching, dye works, tin-box making, 
color printing, flour milling, biscuit works, felt hat works, 
carpet factory, iron foundries, tanneries, breweries and 
other lines. 

The park is bounded on the north by the River Eden, 
and is one of the most charming beauty spots to be found. 
In it is a handsome bandstand, where music is rendered 
during the summer evenings by the city bands. Cen- 
trally located is the city's venerable town hall, which, 
while possessing no architectural beauty, is enshrined in 
the memories of all who are natives of, or have long been 
residents in, the city. 

In front of the town hall is a large open space, locally 
known as the Old Market, and which on Saturdays is 
covered with stalls arranged with a remarkable assort- 
ment of goods and wares for sale. Here also takes place 
the hiring of agricultural servants, and on hiring days 
the market presents a wonderfully animated scene. 

In 1889 a new market, the finest covered market in 
the north of England, was erected at a cost of fifty-five 
thousand pounds. Here all the housewives of the city 
purchase their butter, eggs, poultry, fruit, flowers, etc., 
and the streets on market days are thronged with the 
womenfolk hurrying to and from the market with baskets 
of all descriptions. 

The three principal streets of the city, which branch 
off from the Old ^Market Place, are English Street, Scotch 
Street and Castle Street, each of which is wide and hand- 



254 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

some; the other streets are also airy and well laid out. 
At the foot of Castle Street is the old castle, already 
referred to and which is built of red stone. The site of 
the castle, overlooking the Eden, commands a wide out- 
look over the adjacent country. It still preserves its 
mihtary character, being the headquarters of what is 
known as the Border Regiment, so the visitor must not be 
surprised to find "Tommy Atkins" very much in evi- 
dence. 

The cathedral was commenced in 1092, and completed 
in 1101, since which time many changes have been made. 
One authority says it "is cruciform in shape, and has a 
square embattled tower one hundred and twenty-seven 
feet high rising over the intersection of the cross. The 
great east window as seen from within has been pro- 
nounced by many competent judges the finest decorated 
window in the kingdom. It measures sixty feet by thirty 
feet, contains nine lights, and is filled in the head with 
surpassingly rich flowering tracery; the windows of the 
side aisles also have a corresponding character." 

Among the attractions of Carlisle are a well-equipped 
library with reference and news rooms, an admirably 
furnished museum and interesting art gallery. The lend- 
ing library contains twenty thousand volumes, and the 
reference library over ten thousand. 

Carlisle offers great advantages for the education of 
the children of its residents. The schools are well housed, 
and have competent supervision. From the elementary 
schools, children may pass into the secondary schools, 
and thence on to the universities, under the control of 
the local education committee. 

In conclusion it may be said that the total area of 
the city is 4488 acres, and the population in 1914 was 
52,497. Carlisle is 299 miles north of London. The 
motto on its coat of arms is, "Be just and fear not." 




CATHEDRAL, CARLISLE, EX(;LA.\D 




(•\S'n,i:. CAKLISLK. r.NCI.AM) 



CARLISLE, ENGLAND ^55 

"When first I came to merry Carlisle 
Ne'er was a town sae sweetly seeming. 
The white rose flaunted o'er the wall, 
The thistled banners far were streaming." 



Chapter XXIII 
COLLEGE GRADUATES 

The following is a list of natives of Carlisle who have 
been college educated; the list may not be complete, 
although effort has been made to obtain all available 
records. 

Amos Spaulding, son of Zebulon Spaulding of Car- 
lisle, graduated from Dartmouth College in 1805 and 
settled in Andover, Mass., where he practiced law; for 
several years he was elected to the Massachusetts Legis- 
lature, serving in the House and also in the Senate. 

Asa Green, son of Zaccheus Green of Carlisle, gradu- 
ated from Williams College in 1807, and settled in Brattle- 
boro, Vermont, where he practiced law and also had 
the appointment of postmaster. 

Franklin Litchfield, son of Rev. Paul and Mary 
Litchfield, was born in Carlisle, August 18, 1790, and 
graduated from Harvard College in 1810. He studied 
medicine in Charleston, S. C, with the celebrated Dr. 
Ramsey, and later practiced with marked success in the 
West Indies. He married a daughter of a prominent 
family of Caracas, and finally settled at Puerto Cabello, 
having been appointed United States Consul by President 
Munroe; his commission was dated December 22, 1823. 

William Lambert Russell, son of James and Mary 
Russell, was born in Carlisle, October 28, 1799, and was 
educated at the public schools in Concord, the Groton 
Academy, Westford Academy, and entered Harvard 
College in 1822, graduating with the class of 1826. He 
decided to make the practice of medicine his profession, 

i56 



COLLEGE GRADUATES 257 

and entered the office of Dr. Proctor of Lexington as a 
student, and also studied with Dr. Doane of Boston. 
After completing his studies he settled in the town of 
Barre, Mass., in 1831, and for twenty years practiced 
medicine there and in the surrounding towns. In 1836 
he married Mary A. Warren of Hubbardston. Three 
children, two daughters and one son, were born of this 
marriage. He lived in Barre until his death on May 6, 
1899, at the age of 99 years, 6 months, 8 days. 

James Sullivan Russell, brother of William L. Russell, 
was born in Carlisle, March 23, 1807. His father was a 
farmer and for the first fifteen years of his life he lived at 
home, doing the large amount of farm work that was 
required of the boys in those days, going to school winters, 
and a few weeks in the summer. Before he was sixteen 
years of age he went to Concord and began an appren- 
ticeship in a shoemaker's shop, which he completed in a 
little less than four years. He studied in the schools in 
Concord, Worcester, and the academy in Woburn, and 
taught for brief periods in Weston, Worcester, Hingham, 
Lexington, Arlington and Barre, and in 1833, at the age 
of twenty-six, entered Brown University. In the spring 
of 1835 Mr. Russell left Brown, and came to Lowell to 
teach mathematics at the high school. In 1842 he married 
Miss Elizabeth C. Bartlett. Four children were born of 
this union, one son and three d<aughters. Mr. Russell 
taught in the Lowell High School for forty-three years. 
In 1876 the degree of Master of Arts was conferred upon 
him by Brown LTniversity. He died at his home in Lowell, 
Januarj' 14, 1903, aged 95 years, 9 months, 22 days. 

Albert Nelson, son of Dr. John Nelson of Carlisle, 
was born March 12, 1812, and graduated from Harvard 
College in 1832. 

Frederick Parker, son of Jonas and Olive Bailey 
Parker, was born in Carlisle September 2, 1813, and fitted 



258 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

for college in the adjoining towns, entering Harvard 
College in 1829, and graduating in 1833 with the degree 
of A.B. After graduating from college he taught school 
in Gloucester and Billerica, Mass., and Hallo well, Maine. 
In 1838 he began the study of law with Hon. Samuel 
Wells of Hallowell, and in 1839 entered the Harvard 
Law School at Cambridge, graduating in 1841, with the 
degree of LL.B. He was a lawyer by occupation, and a 
dealer in books and engravings, and also was secretary 
and treasurer of the Harvard Fire Insurance Company. 
On October 3, 1844, he married Harriet Maria Kimball, 
of Lowell, Three sons were born to them. Their home 
was in Lowell, at which place Mr. Parker died on January 
29, 1857. 

Arthur Graham Robbins, son of George Heald and 
Mary Heald Robbins, was born in Carlisle, July 11, 186*2. 
He attended the public schools in Carlisle, and graduated 
from the Westford, Mass., Academy in the class of 1882. 
He entered the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 
in 1882 and graduated in 1886, receiving the degree of 
Bachelor of Science in civil engineering. Since the latter 
date he has been a member of the instructing staff of 
the civil engineering department of the Institute as fol- 
lows: Assistant and instructor, 1886-96; assistant pro- 
fessor, 1896-1906; associate professor, 1906-09; Pro- 
fessor of topographical engineering, 1909. Mr. Robbins 
was married January 19, 1899, to Sara A. Andrews, of 
Bridgewater, Mass. They have two children, one son, 
James M., and one daughter, Helen C, and live now 
(1920) in Belmont, Mass. 

Frank Fletcher Carr, son of Joseph Fletcher and 
Mary Emeline Pierce Carr, was born in Carlisle, August 
18, 1869, attended the public schools in Concord, Mass., 
and graduated from the Concord High School in 1886. 
He entered Williams College, graduating in 1890, with 



COLLEGE GRADUATES 259 

the degree of A.B. He graduated from Harvard Medical 
School, in 1893, with the degree of M.D., and has since 
been a practicing physician. During his college course 
Mr. Carr was a noted athlete. He won the intercollegiate 
championship in the mile run in 1891, receiving a gold 
medal. He belonged to the ^Manhattan Athletic Club of 
New York City, and competed in many athletic games in 
all parts of the countr3\ 

Walter Albert Carr, son of Joseph Fletcher and 
Mary Emeline Pierce Carr, was born in Carlisle, January 
1, 1875, attended the public schools in Concord, Mass., 
and graduated from the Concord High School in 1894. 
He entered Williams College and graduated in 1898 with 
the degree of A.B. He graduated from Boston University 
Law School in 1901 and subsequently practiced law; 
later, because of ill health, he gave his attention to 
agriculture. 

Wilbur Irving Bull, son of John Everett and Susan 
M. Bull, was born in Carlisle, February 3, 1888. He 
attended the Billerica, Mass., public schools, graduated 
from the Billerica Howe High School in 1904, and at- 
tended the Lowell High one year, graduating in 1905. 
He entered Dartmouth College in the fall of 1905, and 
graduated in 1909, receiving the degree of A.B. In the 
fall of 1909 he entered the Hartford Theological Semi- 
nary, graduating in 1912 with the degree of B.D., and 
the following year took the seminary post graduate course. 
Since his graduation from the Theological Seminary he 
has been pastor of the Congregational Church in Ash- 
land, Maine. Mr. Bull was married September 22, 1915, 
to Marion L. Randall, of Norwich, Conn., she died 
January 1, 1916; he was married June 17, 1919, to Anna 
E. Coffin, of Ashland, Maine. 

Fred Parker Nickles, son of Asa Parker and ^lary 
Ellen Nickles, was born in Carlisle, April 22, 1889. He 



260 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

attended the public schools in Billerica, Mass., entered 
the Billerica Howe High School in 1902 and graduated 
in 1906. He entered Massachusetts Agricultural College 
in 1906 and graduated in 1910. The following fall and 
winter he tested milk for advanced registry in the em- 
ploy of the Massachusetts Experiment Station. During 
January, 1912, he took passage for the Philippines, in 
the employ of the Bureau of Agriculture of the Philippine 
Islands, and after more than two years' service there, 
came home on leave of absence, sailing from Manila, 
July 28, 1914, and resigned his position October 31, 1914. 
Mr. Nickles was married April 17, 1919, to Dorothy Col- 
man Little, and is now (1920) engaged in agriculture on 
the ancestral estate in the easterly part of Carlisle. 

Leslie Augustus Bull, son of Sidney A. and Luella M. 
Bull, was born in Carlisle, August 24, 1888. He attended 
the public schools in Billerica, Mass., and Los Angeles, 
California, and entered the Lowell, Mass., High School 
in 1902, graduating in 1906. He entered Dartmouth 
College in 1906 and graduated in 1910, with the degree 
of A.B. In 1910 he entered the Yale Forestry School, 
receiving instruction in Connecticut, Pennsylvania and 
Arkansas, graduating in 1912. He was married June 18, 

1914, to Garaphelia Howard of Hot Springs, Arkansas, 
and is now (1920) engaged in agriculture in Lexington, 
Mass. They have two sons, Paul Leslie, born March 30, 

1915, and Sidney Howard, born June 6, 1920. 

Leila Sawyer Bull, daughter of Sidney A. and Luella 
M. Bull, was born in Carlisle, November 1, 1890, and 
attended the public schools in Billerica, Mass., and Los 
Angeles, California; also the Howe High in Billerica for 
three terms. She entered the Mt. Ida Youug Ladies' 
Boarding School in 1906, and graduated, receiving her 
diploma in 1908, and post graduated in 1909. She then 
entered Lowell High in the fall of 1909 and graduated 



COLLEGE GRADUATES 261 

in 1911. Miss Bull then studied vocal music at the Mt. 
Allison College, in Sackville, New Brunswick, one year, 
and entered the New England Conservatory of Music in 
1913, taking the vocal course, and graduating in 1918. 
For the two years since graduating Miss Bull has been 
a member of the faculty of Stanstead College, Stan^tead, 
Quebec, instructing in voice culture and piano. 

Albert Sidney Bull, son of Sidney A. and Luella M. 
Bull, was born in Carlisle, January 12, 1892, and attended 
the public schools in Billerica, Mass., and Los Angeles, 
California, also the Howe High School in Billerica, for 
three years. He entered the Lowell High in 1909, grad- 
uating in 1911. He entered Dartmouth College in 1911, 
graduating in 1915, with the degree of A.B., and won his 
''D" in athletic contests. He is now (1920) a merchant 
in Billerica, and also conducts a fire insurance agency; 
for several years has held the office of town clerk. 

During the World War Mr. Bull enlisted July 15, 
1918, for naval aviation service, and served at the 
instruction camp at the Massachusetts Institute of Tech- 
nology in Cambridge, Mass., until November 14, same 
year, when he was discharged because of the close of the 
war. 



Chapter XXIV 

SURVEY OF COMMON 

At an adjourned meeting of the members of the 
First Parish Church held in the meeting-house May 17, 
1852, action on Art. IV of the warrant was as follows: 
"Chose B. F. Heald, Thomas Green, William Wilkins, 
Benjamin Barrett and Stephen Taylor a committee to 
run and establish the lines and bounds of the Common." 

At a meeting of the members of the parish assembled 
at the meeting-house October 11, 1852, Art. VI in the 
warrant was disposed of as follows: "B. F. Heald, from 
the committee chosen to run out the lines of the Common, 
reported that the committee had attended to the duty 
assigned them, by employing a surveyor to make a care- 
ful survey of the premises according to a plan made in 
1799. That by this survey it appears evident that con- 
siderable portion of the original grant is covered by the 
road on the west side, and that nearly one-half of the 
house and front yard recently occupied by Lucius Stiles 
stands within the limits of the Common." 

Early Customs 

The two-wheeled chaise is said to have made its 
debut in this locality as a means of locomotion about 
the year 1800, and the first pastor of the town. Rev. Paul 
Litchfield, according to tradition, became the owner of 
one, which he used for pleasure riding, and especially 
when he and his good wife made their pastoral calls. 

Mr. Ai Heald, who died January 9, 1892, aged 79 
years, 9 months, 16 days, and was a young lad at the 

262 



CONCORD MONUMENTS 263 

time, once told the author that his mother upon looking 
out of the window one day saw the minister and his 
wife in their new two- wheeled chaise driving toward the 
house, and she said to him: "The parson and his wife are 
coming to make a call, and I haven't a bit of spirit in 
the house; now you take the little brown jug, and go 
out the back door, and up town to the little red store, 
and get a quart of rum, and return as quick as your legs 
will bring you." It was quite a stunt for a small boy, 
for the store was at least a mile away, but he realized 
the necessity of speed, and returned in season for his 
mother to comply' with the custom of the times. 

The minister and his wife next called at the home 
of Capt. Paul Forbush, another parishioner living in the 
easterly part of the town, and Mrs. Forbush happened 
to be the only member of the family at home, and when 
it came time for her to perform the customary social 
duties of a host, she also found the cupboard was dry, 
and excused herself by saying to her guests that "she 
was very sorry, but found she had not a bit of liquor in 
the house"; whereupon the minister replied, "It is just 
as well, for I was just telling Mrs. Litchfield as we were 
coming along that I thought we bad taken about enough." 

Rev. Wilson Waters, in his history of Chelmsford, 
Mass., speaking of conditions in 1649, says: "Wherever 
the minister went he felt obliged to drink the glass offered 
him, and Parson Bridge found it best not to make too 
many calls in an afternoon." Also he records that "two 
barrels of cider were provided for the use of the council 
at the ordination of Mr. Packard in 1793." 



Concord Monuments 

Concord, Mass., one of the mother towns of Car- 
lisle, is a town of great historic interest and has many 



264 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

historic markers recording early historic events. The 
oldest of these markers, and the one of greatest historic 
significance is the monument erected on the old battle 
ground, about half a mile from the center of the town, 
on the east bank of the Concord R'ver, which bears the 
following inscription : 

Here 

on the 19th of April, 1775, 

was made the first forcible resistance to 

British Aggression. 

On the opposite bank stood the American militia, 

Here stood the invading army, 

and on this spot the first of the enemy fell 

in the war of the Revolution, 

which gave Independence to these United States. 

In gratitude to God, and in the love of Freedom, 

This monument is erected, 

A.D. 1836. 

It is worthy of note that the contract for erecting 

tbis monument above tbe foundation was awarded to 

James Warren Wilkins of Carlisle, and that he performed 

the work during the year 1836, principally by his own 

personal labor. 

If we cross the bridge built by the citizens of Con- 
cord to copy the old North Bridge, we come to the beauti- 
ful bronze statue of the Minute Man, which rests upon 
a substantial granite base cut from a quarry in West 
Carlisle near the Carlisle railroad station. 

The Nickles Cranberry Company 

During the year 1903, more than four hundred acres 
of land located in the northwesterly part of Carlisle were 
purchased from various owners by the brothers, James W. 
and W. Clifford Nickles, with the purpose in view of 



WEATHER PHENOMENA 265 

establishing a cranberry bog. They also purchased cer- 
tain water rights from the Benjamin F. Butler estate, 
which allowed a flowage of water from Heart Pond in 
South Chelmsford. During the following year consider- 
able work was done on the property, and the bog was 
established. In the year 1905 a wooden building, fifty- 
eight by sixty-eight feet in size, and four stories high, 
containing a hot water heating plant, was erected on the 
property at a cost of nine thousand dollars, to serve as 
a cranberry house. There is also a caretaker's house on 
the premises, and three summer cottages on the shore 
of Heart Pond, one of which was the original Butler 
Camp, that belong to the property. There are at present 
(1920) fifty acres of bog in bearing. 

Sanding is done periodically as required, varying in 
time from once in three to six years. The crop is usually 
ready to harvest early in September, scooping often 
commencing on Labor Day, and from four to six weeks 
are required to gather the crop, after which the bog is 
raked and trimmed. River Meadow Brook runs through 
the property and supplies the water annually used for 
winter flowing. This company was incorporated under 
the laws of Massachusetts in the year 1912, for twenty 
thousand dollars, having two hundred shares of the par 
value of one hundred dollars each, and is known as The 
Nickles Cranberry Company. The present officers are 
A. G. Bartlett, president, and James W, Nickles, treas- 
urer. 

Weather Phenomena 

The year 1816 was called the " cold year," the weather 
being so cold that there was not sufficient corn ri])ened for 
seed the following season. A man by the name of Robbins, 
who owned a grist mill on a brook that flowed through 
Smooth Meadow in Carlisle, had some seed corn from the 



2Q6 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

crop of the previous year; this he would not sell to a person 
of means, but poor or needy persons he would supply and 
trust them tor it. Mr. Charles Forbush of Carlisle used 
to hear his mother tell this story, and he told the author 
in 1918, when he [Mr. Forbush] was seventy-eight years 
of age. 

May 19, 1780, was the "dark day." It began to be 
dark at 9.30 a.m. and lasted five hours, or until 2.30 p.m. 
The year above mentioned coincides with the year of 
incorporation of the second district of Carlisle. 

September 6, 1881, was the "yellow day." The 
author was at that time a storekeeper in Carlisle, and 
had to light the kerosene lamps in the middle of the day 
in order to see to write and put up goods. The atmos- 
phere was extremely yellow, and everything looked 
yellow. 

Histories of Carlisle 

The printed and published historical records of 
Carlisle previous to the year 1920 are as follows: A his- 
tory of the town of Concord and four of the adjoining 
towns, by Lemuel Shattuck, 1835, includes a history of 
Carlisle. A twenty-page discourse upon the history of 
the establishment of the First Parish in Carlisle, written 
and delivered in the First Parish Church on Sunday, 
February 23, 1879, by Rev. James J. Twiss. A history 
of Carlisle written by Major Benjamin F. Heald, of Car- 
lisle, for a history of Middlesex County, published by 
Samuel Adams Drake, 1880. A history of Carlisle written 
by Sidney A. Bull, of Carhsle, for a history of Middlesex 
County, published by J. W. Lewis & Company, 1890. 

Wild Pigeon 

Mr. James Green, late of Carlisle, was an old man 
when the author went there to reside in 1870, and it 




'J!t 



LONG BLOCK 267 

was extremely interesting to hear him tell of the immense 
flocks of passenger or wild pigeon that in the early days 
frequented this locality during certain parts of the year, 
and of the method of capturing them with pigeon nets. 
These birds annually migrated en masse in search of food, 
and a baited pigeon stand personally operated would 
capture them alive by the hundreds. 

They were considered an excellent article of diet, 
and in the early days the number killed was only what 
sufficed for home needs; each family had pigeon pie and 
salted down a few barrels of the bodies, but as transpor- 
tation facilities improved, they became an article of com- 
merce, and were killed indiscriminately. 

Audubon records that in 1805 (which was the year 
that Carlisle became a town) he saw schooner loads of 
them at the wharves in New York City, that had been 
caught up the Hudson River, and were offered for sale 
at one cent each. This persistent slaughter, and cutting 
down the nut trees and forests, that furnished them food 
and shelter, has without question caused the species to 
become extinct. 

Long Block 

A large, long residence building in the center of 
Carlisle, known as "Long Block" has several owners, and 
probably has been a landmark there for more than one 
hundred years. It is capable of accommodating several 
families, and in earlier days contained a hall where dances 
and gatherings of various kinds were assembled. At 
present it is used solely for residential purposes, and is 
rather an unusual structure to find in these latter days. 



Chapter XXV 



I 



EPITAPHS FROM CENTRAL BURYING 
GROUND 

i 

Erected to the memory of ■ 

Rev. Paul Litchfield 
Pastor of the church in CarHsle for the space of 
forty-six years and deceased 
Nov. 5, 1827, Aet. 75 
With a firm discriminating mind, zealous for the dis- 
tinguishing doctrines of revelation, he stood fast in one 
spirit, striving for the faith of the gospel. 

In memory of Mary Litchfield 
Daughter of the Rev*^ Paul Litchfield and Mrs. Mary 

his wife 
who died Sept. 27th, 1790 > 

Aged 3 years, 5 months & 15 days 
Little children come here & learn. 
That death may cut you down while young. 

Sacred to the memory of \ 

Mrs. Mary, wife of Rev. Paul Litchfield 

who died July 27, 1809, Aet. 60 { 

Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. 
The price of a virtuous woman is far above rubies. 
The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her. She 
openeth her mouth in wisdom, & in her tongue is the law 
of kindness, her children arise up and call her blessed, 
her husband also & he praiseth her, favor is deceitfull & 
beauty is vain, but a woman that feareth the Lord, she 
shall be praised. 

268 



EPITAPHS FROM CENTRAL BURYING GROUND 269 

In memory of Mr. Roland Litchfield 

who died Sept. 2, 1841 

Aet. 60 

Dearest Partner thou hast left us. 

Here thy loss we deeply feel; 

But 'tis God that hath bereft us, 

He can all our sorrows heal. 

Erected in memory of 

Mr. Timothy Wilkins 

who died Feb. 5, 1820 

Aet. 88 

Though greedy worms devour my skin, 

And gnaw my wasting flesh 
When God shall build my bones again 
He'll doth them all afresh. 

Erected in memory of 
Mrs. Mary Wilkins 
wife of Mr. Timothy W^ilkins 
who died Jan. 28, 1820 
Aet. 83 
My flesh shall slumber in the ground, 
'Till the last trumpet joyful sound; 
Then burst the chains, with sweet surprise, 
And in my Saviour's image rise. 

Sacred to the memory of 

Mr. Timothy Wilkins 

who died April 28, 1812 

In the 54th year of his age 

Thou dear departed soul adieu 

Thy lifeless clay must here remain 
'Til Christ this body shall renew 

Then both with joy shall meet again. 



270 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

Erected in memory of 
M""" Lucy Wilkins 
widow of Mr. Timothy Wilkins, .T' 
who died Aug. 18, 18^1 
Aet. 56 
Here in the silent grave I lie 
No more the scenes of life to try 
And you dear friends I leave behind 
Must soon this gloomy mansion find. 



Lieut. Isaac Wilkins 

died January 10, 1826 

Aet. 93 



Mary Wilkins 

died Feb. 6, 1806 

Aet. 59 

wife of Lieut. Isaac Wilkins 

As you are now so once was I 

As I am now, so you must be 

Prepare for death & follow me. 



In memory of 

Mrs. Margaret Wilkins 

wife of Lieut. Isaac Wilkins 

who died Feb. 21, 1790 

Aged 48 

My friends draw near & drop a tear 

Here my poor body lies 
This is the bed to rest my head 
Till Christ shall bid me rise. 



I 



EPITAPHS FROM CENTRAL BURYING GROUND 271 

In memory of 
Lieut. Daniel Wheat 
who died Jan. 17, 1827 
Aet. 72 
Thy gentle spirit now is fled, 
Thy body in its earthly bed 
Is laid in peaceful sleep, 
A spirit good and pure as thine 
Blest in immortal scenes can shine 
Though friends are left to weep. 

In memory of 

Mrs. Betsey 

wife of Lieut. Daniel Wheat 

who died Nov. 14, 1809 

Aet. 70 

Behold the sad impending stroke, 

Which now arrests our eyes; 
The silken band of union broke 
A tender mother dies. 

In memory of a son and daughter of 
Mr. Nathaniel and Mrs. Thankful Hutchinson 

Joseph 

died April 30, 1804 
aged 6 years, 4 months & 9 days 

The Daughter 

was born and died Sept. 29, 1793 
Behold a little prattling boy 
His father's hope his mother's joy 
Why should he make so short a stay 
To steal our hearts & run away? 



272 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

Sacred to the memory of 
Mr. Nathaniel Taylor 
who diod Aug. 7, 1795 
Aet. 65 
While o'er my grave you stand & see 
Remember you must follow me. 



Sacred to the memory of 

Widow Esther Taylor 

wife of Mr. Nathaniel Taylor 

who died Aug. 8, 1809 

Aet. 75 

Friends nor physician could not save 

My mortal body from the grave. 



Lieut. James Russell 

died Aug. 17, 1801 

Aged 78 



Lydia Potter 

wife of Lieut. James Russell 
born June 7, 1733 
died Nov. 17, 1826 

Aet. 93 yrs., 5 mo. & 10 days 



In memory of 

Mr. Thomas Spaulding 

who died August 13, 1795 

Aged 88 

An honest man, a good neighbor, a plain hearted 

reprover. 



EPITAPHS FROM CENTRAL BURYING GROUND 273 

Memento Mori 

In memory of 

M"' Thomas Spaulding 

who departed this hfe Oct" y^ 17^'' 1788 

Aged 81 years, 3 months and 16 days 

Hark from ye tombs a doleful sound 

My ears attend the cry 
Ye living men come view the ground 
Where you must shortly lie. 

Erected in memory of 

j)EA- Ephraim Robbins 

who died July 29, 1820 

Aet. 62 



Erected in memory of 

Mrs. Sibbil Robbins 

widow of D"' Ephraim Robbins 

who died Sept. 4, 1821 

Aet. 59 

In memory of 

Mrs. Mary Robbins 

relict of Ens. Jonas Robbins 

who died April 6, 1794 

Aged 75 

Erected in memory of 

Mrs. Sarah Robbins 

wife of Deacon John Robbins 

who died July 13, 1819 

Aet. 69 

Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. 



274 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

Erected in memory of 

Capt. Aaron Robbins 

who died July 26, 1821 

Aet. 40 

We mourn thy sudden swift remove 

From earth and all enjoyment here. 
When Christ commands we must obey 
Without a murmur or a tear. 

Erected in memory of 
Lieut John Robbins 
who died August 5, 1812 
Aet. 34 
He left us it was God's holy will, 
His worth we never can prize; 
Submission bids us to be still, 
And dry our weeping eyes. 

In memory of 

Capt. Stephen Blood 

who died July 6, 1836 

Aet. 65 

This is the bed to rest my head 

Till Christ bids me arise. 

Erected in memory of 

Mrs. Mehetable Blood 

wife of Capt. Stephen Blood 

who died Dec. 8, 1819 

Aet. 46 

Affliction sore long time I bore 

Physicians ware in vain 
Till death did seize and God did please 
To ease me of my pain. 



EPITAPHS FROM CENTRAL BURYING GROUND 275 

Sacred to the memory of 
Lieut. Nathaniel Parker 
who died Oct. 17, 1802, Aet. 56 
Death is a debt to nature due 
Which I've paid & so must you. 

Erected in memory of 

Mrs. Olive Parker 

wife of Major Jonas Parker 

who died Jan. 16, 1817 

Aet. 38 

Erected in memory of 

Mr. Reuben Duren 

who died May 20, 1819 
Aet. 51 
The die is cast, my hope, my fear 
My pain, my joy hes buried here, 
And read'r you ere long must try 
This dreaded change as well as I; 
Nor can a courteous Ghost reveal 
What I have felt, and you must feel. 

Erected in memory of 

Mrs. Susanna Duren 

wife of ]\Ir. Reuben Duren 

who died Nov. 20, 1821 

Aet. 48 

Sacred to the memory of 

Lieu. Benjamin Foster 

who died Aug. 2, 1819 

Aet. 30 

Belov'd till life could charm no more 

And lov'd till Christ shall thee restore. 



276 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 



Erected in memory of 

M°* Solomon Andrews 

Who departed this h'fe in 

Full assurance of A better. 

Sept" y' 18th 1778 

Aged 79 years 

Sacred to the memory of 

JOHNATHAN HeaLD, EsQ. 

who died Dec. 28, 1816 
Aet. 59 

In memory of 

Lieut. Silas Heald 

June 21, 1811 

Aet. 51 

Erected in memory of 

Mr. David Parlin Jr. 

who died July 19, 1803 

Aged 37 

Retire my friends dry up your tears 

Here I must lie till Christ appears. 



EPITAPHS FROM GREEN CEMETERY 

Ai Wheat 
died Mar. 10, 1844 
Aet. 42 
It is well with me why dost thou weep. 
As thou saw thy lov'd one in his last long sleep, 
As thou, lingerest to gaze on my dwelling of clay 
Forgetting my spirit in his white array. 



epitaphs from green cemetery 277 

Irene G. 
wife of Ai Wheat 
died June 11, 1858 
Aged 51 yrs., 8 mos. 
"Sweet spirit thou hast soared from earth, 
And seraphs hail thy heavenly birth; 
Thou will one guardian angel be, 
Until we rise to dwell with thee." 



Hon. Amos Spaulding 
Died November 6, 1865 
Aet. 76 yrs. & 11 mos. 

Zebulon Spaulding 

Died Feb. 18, 1854 

Aet. 74 

Dorcas P. 

His wife 

Died Mar. 19, 1825 

Aet. 44 

Dorothy B. 

His 2°*^ wife 

Died June 9, 1880 

Aet. 82 

Selar Simons 

Sept. 22, 1803 

Sept. 30, 1894 

Clarissa Simons 

Aug. 29, 1810 

Apr. 7, 1855 



278 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

In memory of 

Dea. John Jacobs 

who died June 27, 1841 

Aet. 82 

In memory of 

Mrs. Mable 

wife of Dea. John Jacobs 

who died Dee. 26, 1838 

Aet. 75 

In memory of 

Mrs. Maria 

wife of Mr. John Jacobs Jr. 

who died June 16, 1827 

Aet. 25 

In memory of 

Mr. Zacheus Green 

who departed this hfe Jan. 1'*' 1802 

Aged 70 years. 

In memory of 

Mrs. Elizabeth Green 

wife of Mr. Zacheus Green 

who departed this Hfe Oct. 27, 1785 

Aged 40 years. 



Memento Mori J 

Erected in memory of ' 
Lieut Asa Green 

who^departed this hfe March 28th, 1785 J 



Aged 41 years 6 months and 3 days. 



EPITAPHS FROM GREEN CEMETERY 279 

In memory of 

Mrs. Abi Green 

wife of Lieut. Asa Green 

who died April 9, 1793 

Aged 49 years, 1 month & 17 days. 

Death is a debt to nature due 

Which I have paid & so must you. 



In memory of 
Cap'* John Green 
who died March 21, 1793 
Aged 85 years, 6 months & 27 days. 
Though not till ninety some retire 
Yet monuments around declare 
How vast the number who expire 
While youth & beauty promise fair. 



In memory of 

M"**' Martha Green 

wife of Cap*' John Green 

who died Aug. 9th, 1792 

Aged 83 yr'- 9 months & 29 days 



Isaiah Green 

Died May 4, 1855 

Aet. 83 



Hannah 

wife of Isaiah Green 

died Mar. 23, 1845 

Aet. 69 



280 history of carlisle 

Hannah L. C. 

Daughter of Isaiah and Hannah Green 
Died March 8, 1897 
Aged 90 years, 2 mos & 23 dys. 
A Generous Benefactress of her native place. 

Lois Green 
died May 25, 1854 
Aet. 94 

Erected to the memory of 

Mr. Nathan Green 

who died Sep. 18, 1818 

Aet. 83 

Frail as the leaves that quiver on the spray 

Like them man flourishes like them decays. 

Erected in memory of 

Mrs. Lois Green 

widow of Mr. Nathan Green 

who died March 10, 1821 

Aet. 83 

Here in the silent grave I lie 

No more the scenes of life to try. 

Asa Green 
Died Apr. 13, 1853 
Aged 82 
There is a world above 

Where parting is unknown 
A long eternity of love 
Form'd for the good above 
And faith beholds the dying here 
Transplanted to that glorious sphere. 



EPITAPHS FROM GREEN CEMETERY 281 

Sacred to the memory of 

Mrs. Esther 

wife of Mr. Asa Green 

who died Sept. 18, 1826 

Aet. 51 



In memory of 
Mr. Samuel Green 
who died Jan. 29, 1829 
Aet. 30 
And now shall thy dust return to the earth 
Thy spirit to God who gave it. 
Yet affection shall tenderly cherish thy worth 
And memory deeply engrave it 



Erected in memory of 
Mr. Nathan Green Jr. 
who died June 24, 1818 
Aet. 55 
Like brilliant stars his virtues glowed 
While from his lips wise counsel flowed 
But when the close of life he knew 
Smiling he bade this world adiew. 



In memory of 

Mrs. Sarah 

wife of Mr. Nathan Green Jr. 

who died Jan. 10, 1833 

Aet. 61 



282 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

In memory of 
Mr. Leonard Green 
who died Sept. 26, 1838 
Aet. 78 
On earth according to his hght 
He aimed to practice what was right, 
Hence all his errors are forgiven 
And Jesus welcom'd him to heaven. 

Sacred to the memory of 

Mrs. Thankful Green 

wife of Mr. Leonard Green 

who died May 6, 1815 

Aet. 55 

Sacred to the memory of 

Mrs. Lydia 

wife of Mr. Leonard Green 

who died April 29, 1826 

Aet. 57 

Sacred to the memory of 

Mr. Samuel Green 

who died Feb. 22, 1816 

Aet. 76 

Sacred to the memory of 

Mrs. Rebekah Green 

wife of Mr. Samuel Green 

who died April 7, 1817 

Aet. 75 

In memory of Mr. Jefferson Green 

who died March 26, 1832 

Aet. 30 



EPITAPHS FROM GREEN CEMETERY 283 

In memory of 

Mr. Silas Green 

who died March 13, 1833 

Aet. 59 

In memory of 

Mrs. Elizabeth 

wife of Mr. Silas Green 

who died April 10, 1836 

Aet. 61 

Cyrus Green 

Died Feb. 1, 1855 

Aged 55 

Sacred to the memory of 

Mr. Ephraim Green 

who died Nov. 10, 1824 

Aet. 24 yrs. & 1 m. 

Dea. John Green 

Died April 26, 1858 
Aged 88 yrs., 7 mos. & 29 days 
To sect or party his large soul 
Disdained to be confined 
The good he loved of every name 
And prayed for all mankind. 

Erected in memory of 

Mrs. Mary Green 

wife of Dea. John Green 

who died Oct. 26, 1817 

Aet. 47 

The memory of the just are blessed. 



284 history of carlisle 

Anna S. 

wife of Dea. John Green 

died Sept. 11, 1865 

Aet. 83 yrs., 2 mos. 

Joseph W. Green 

Died June 15, 1893 

Aged 64 yrs., 8 mos. 

Martha A 

wife of J. W. Green 

Died November 9, 1857 

Aet. 25 yrs., 7 mos. 

Tilly Green 

Died Aug. 22, 1863 

Aet. 83 

Patty 
wife of Tilly Green 
Died Sept. 9, 1849 

Aet. 69 

Benjamin 

son of Tilly & Patty Green 

Died Jan. 16, 1859 

Aet. 45 years, 5 mos. & 13 days 

Serlina G. Richardson 
1827 — 1914 

Erected in memory of 
Mr. Paul Forbush 
who died Sept. 24, 1830 
Aet. 58 



EPITAPHS FROM GREEN CEMETERY 285 

In memory of 

Hannah 

wife of Paul Forbush 

who died Dec. 27, 1851 

Aet. 73 

Stephen Farrar 

Died June 14, 1848 

Aged 84 yrs., 4 mos., 5 days 

Lucy 

His wife 

Died Feb. 9, 1843 

Aged 70 yrs., 2 mos. 

William Farrar 

Died Mar. 22, 1880 

Aged 77 yrs., 8 mos., 5 dys. 

Lydia G. 

His wife 

Died Sept. 27, 1881 

Aged 70 yrs., 9 mos., 12 dys. 

Myranda Dutton 

killed at the battle of Dallas, Ga., May 25, 1863 

Aet. 42 yrs., 1 mo. 

A member of Co. H., 33 Reg. Mass. Vol. 

Mary M. Dutton 

wife of Myranda Dutton 

Died Dec. 15, 1866 

Aet. 48 yrs., 4 mos., 12 dys. 



286 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

In memory of 

Mr. Jonas Munroe 

who died Sept. 21, 1840 

Aet. 84 

In memory of 

Mrs. Sarah 

wife of Mr. Jonas Munroe 

who died July 20, 1828 

Aet. 69 

Miss Sarah Monroe 

Died Sept. 5, 1869 

Aet. 79 yrs. 

Reuben Monroe 
June 2, 1788 — July 30, 1852 

Rebeccah Monroe 
May 12, 1788 — Mar. 16, 1871 

In memory of 

Mrs. Elizabeth Parlin 

who died April 15, 1837 

Aet. 86 

In memory of 
Asa Parlin, Esq. 
who died Oct. 28, 1822 
Aet. 68 
His mind was tranquil 
No terror, in his looks was seen 
His Saviour smil'd dispel'ed the gloom 
And smoothed his passage to the tomb. 



EPITAPHS FROM GREEN CEMETERY 287 

In memory of 

Mrs. Sarah Parltn 

wife of Asa Parlin, Esq. 

who departed this hfe Nov. y^ 16, 1785 

In the 22 year of her age 

In memory of 

Mrs. Susanah 

wife of Mr. Asa Parhn, Esq. 

who died Jan. 10, 1834 

Aet. 79 

In Memory of 
Mr. Abraham Taylor 
who died Nov. 9, 1833 
Aet. 70 
My Saviour calls and I must go. 
And leave you here my friends below; 
But soon my God will call for thee, 
Prepare for death and follow me. 

In memory of 

Mrs. Francis 

wife of Mr. Abraham Taylor 

who died Oct. 4, 1827 

Aet. 55 

Farewell my friends and children dear 

I leave you all behind 
Unto the God of Israel's care 
Who's merciful and kind. 

In memory of 

Mr. Nathaniel Taylor 

who died July 23, 1837 

Aet. 36 



288 history of carlisle 

Fanny 

wife of Nathaniel Taylor 
Died Oct. 26, 1865 
Act. 63 yrs., 11 mos. & 18 days 
Our Mother 



Frances Maria Manning 

Daughter of N. & F. Taylor 

March 29, 1829 

Feb. 7, 1907 



Stephen Tayu)r 
Died May 27, 1879 
Aged 73 yrs., 1 mo., 20 days 
Rest on thy Sheaves 
Thy harvest work is done. 



Emeline Parker 

wife of Stephen Taylor 

Died Sept. 3, 1898 

Aged 86 yrs., 7 mos., 17 days 



Stephen Parker 
Son of Stephen & Emeline Taylor 
died Sept. 16, 1860 
Aet. 16 yrs., 5 mos. 
No more with us his tuneful voice 
The hymn of praise shall swell 
No more his cheerful heart rejoice 
When peals the Sabbath bell. 



EPITAPHS FROM GREEN CEMETERY 

In memory of 
Mr. Nathan Taylor 
who died June 25, 1838 
Aet. 24 
Sudden He was called to go 
And bid adieu to all below 
Sudden the vital spirit fled 
And he was numbered with the dead. 



Artemas Parker 
1815 — 1900 



289 



Sarah A. 

His wife 

1821 — 1892 



Roland Litchfield 
1781 — 1841 



Rebecca Simonds 

his wife 

1805 — 1889 



William F. 

son 
1837 — 1914 

Mary B. 
Dau. 

1839 — 1854 



290 history of carlisle 

Paul Litchfield 
Died Jan. 21, 1849 
Aet. 28 yrs., 7 mos. & 22 days 
Some happy years, of happy birth 
Were spent by me with friends on earth 
Altho I'm gone to worlds unknown 
I hope to meet you all again. 

Nathaniel Hutchinson 
died Dec. 3, 1841 

Aged 77 

Thankful 

wife of Nathaniel Hutchinson 

died June 22, 1840 

Aet. 76 

Isaac Duren 
Born June 6, 1795 
Died May 27, 1835 

Mary Blood 
wife of Isaac Duren 
Born Nov. 12, 1796 
Died Mar. 12, 1873 

Mary E. 

Daughter of Isaac & Mary Duren 

Died Apr. 24, 1843 

Aet. 24 yrs. 

Susan M. 

Daughter of 

Isaac & Mary Duren 

Died Sept. 20, 1844, Aet. 24 yrs. 



epitaphs from green cemetery 291 

Thomas Page 

Died August 22, 1860 

Aet. 76 yrs., 8 mos. & 12 days 

Betsy 

wife of Thomas Page 

Died March 12, 1867 

Aet. 81 yrs., 8 mos. & 12 days 

Benjamin Barrett 
Born July 31, 1797 
Died March 10, 1873 

Mary A. 

wife of Benj. Barrett 

died Sept. 4, 1854 

Aet. 59 

Sabra N. 

his wife 

Born April 30, 1818 

Died Nov. 9, 1901 

In memory of 
Mr. Phineas Blood 
who died May 22, 1832 
Aet. 36 

In memory of 

Mrs. Ruhannah 

wife of Mr. Varnum Nickles 

formerly wife of Mr. Phineas Blood 

who Died Sept. 14, 1841 

Aet. 43 years. 



HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

In memory of 

M^" Simon Blood jun. 

who died No^' 7'^' 1793 

in y' 47th y"^" of his age 

His generous Donations to pubh'c uses do honor to 

his memory & will preserve his name to posterity 

In memory of 

Mr. Silas Blood 

who died Sept. 6, 1818 

Aet. 26 

In memory of 

Mr. Abel Blood 

who departed this life Sept. 12th, 1803 

Aged 32 yrs. 

Erected in memory of 
Mrs. Susanna Blood 
wife of Mr. Abel Blood 
who died Dec. 30, 1818 
Aet. 42 

In memory of 
Mr. Phineas Blood 
who died Apr. 29, 1830 
Aet. 81 

In memory of 

Mrs. Sarah Blood 

wife of Mr. Phineas Blood 

who died Nov. 20, 1831 

Aet. 80 



EPITAPHS FROM GREEN CEMETERY 293 

In memory of 

Thankful A. G. 

wife of Nathan Buttrick, Jr. 

who died March 26, 1838 

Aet. 20 

JOSIAH HODGMAN 

Died Jan. 14, 1852 
Aged 52 
Death thou has conquered me, 

I by thy dart am slain; 
But Christ has conquered thee 
And I shall rise again. 

Lucy 

wife of Josiah Hodgman 

Died Jan. 25, 1874 

Aged 81 yrs. 

Weep not children for your mother 

She has gone far far above; 
Far away from sin and sorrow, 
To the home of joy and love. 

EZEKIEL NiCKLES 

Died March 16, 1853 

Aet 75 

My friends draw near and ponder here 

My body's in this grave; 
And if you have a moment's time 
Pray God your soul to save. 

Rebekah 
wife of Capt. Ezekiel Nickles 

died April 28, 1864 
Aet. 80 yrs., 3 raos. & 17 days 



294 history of carlisle 

Varnum Nickles 

Died Mar. 17, 1847 

Aet. 37 

'Twas in a moment I was called, 
To appear before my God; 
Leaving my child and all friends dear. 
To seek my last abode. 



Artemas Skelton 

Died Jan. 31, 1871 

Aged 76 yrs,, 8 mos. & 10 days 



Mary 

Wife of Artemas Skelton 

Died Mar. 6, 1873 

Aged 72 yrs., 8 mos. & 23 days 

Amos H. NrxTiNG 

Died Jan. 4, 1846 

Aet. 60 yrs. 

Hannah 
wife of Amos H. Nutting 
Died Nov. 12, 1852 
Aet. 63 yrs. 



Erected in memory of 

Mr. James Wilkins 

who died April 13, 1825 

in his 58 year 



epitaphs from green cemetery 295 

Hannah 

wife of Calvin Stevens 

formerly wife of James Wilkins 

died Feb. 8, 1852 

Aet. 83 

John Wilkins 
Died April 10, 1825 
Aged 36 yrs. 

Sarah 

his wife 

died May 23, 1861 

Aged 72 

John B. Wilkins 

Died August 25, 1871 

Aged 60 yrs., 4 mos. 

Timothy Wilkins 
1820 — 1900 

P. N. Robbins 

His wife 

1832 — 1861 

E. J. D. Sargent 

His wife 

1835 — 1888 

William Wilkins 

Died March 23, 1857 

Aged 63 



296 history of carlisle 

Mary 

wife of William Wilkins 

Died Sept. 19, 1863 

Aet. 66 

Father 

James W. Wilkins 

Died Jan. 24, 1876 

Aged 72 

Mother 

Hannah P. 

wife of James W. Wilkins 

Died Dec. 31, 1863 

Aged 60 

Ephraim Robbins 

Died Nov. 9, 1880 

Aged 84 

Anna 

wife of Ephraim Robbins 

Died Feb. 15, 1861 

Aged 64 

John D. Robbins 

Died Oct. 14, 1858 

Aet. 49 yrs. & 6 months 

Caroline Lakin 

wife of John D. Robbins 

Died Aug. 27, 1890 

Aet. 82 yrs., 4 mos. 

G. Maria Robbins 

Died Jan. 23, 1887 

Aged 46 yrs., 8 mos. 



epitaphs from green cemetery 297 

Samuel H. Robbins 
March 7, 1830 
Dec. 14, 1903 

Charlotte E. Robbins 
May 10, 1839 
April 29, 1903 

Mus'n 
Jno. Robbins 
17 Mass. Inf. 

Sarah Helen 

wife of John Robbins 

died Oct. 27, 1856 

Aet. 24 

Betsy Lakin 
Died Aug. 17, 1871 
Aet. 88 yrs., 1 mo. 

In memory of 

Capt. Samuel Heald 

who died May 11, 1829 

Aet. 86 

Erected in memory of 

Mrs. IVIary Heald 

wife of Capt. Samuel Heald 

who died Oct. 21, 1822 

Aet. 77 

Capt. Thomas Heald 

Died April 20, 1873 

Aged 78 



298 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

Betsey A. 

wife of Capt. Thomas Heald 

died Oct. 31, 1857 

Aged 64 

Jonathan Heald 

Died Oct. 13, 1858 

Aet. 73 yrs. 

Betsey 

wife of Jonathan Heald 

Died Feb. 7, 1855 

Aet. 67 

Our mother sleeps. 

When will the morning come? 

Otis Nickles 

A member of 7th Battery Light Art., Mass. Vols. 

Passed to spirit land at New Orleans, La., July 16, 1864 

Ae. 44 years 

Lavina 

his wife 

Passed to spirit land May 7, 1889 

Ae. 63 yrs., 2 mos., 26 dys. 

Sybel G. 
wife of B. F. Blaisdell Jr. 
1871 — 1916 

Harris Bingham 

Died Aug. 9, 1876 

Ae. 80 



4 



epitaphs from green cemetery 

Emily 

His wife 

Died July 26, 1863 

Ae. 67 

James Green 

Died July 29, 1875 

Aet. 84 yrs., 9 mos. & 9 days 

Lois 
wife of James Green 
Died March 10, 1865 
Aet. 73 yrs., 1 mo. 

Sarah B. 
wife of James Green 
Died July 7, 1883 
Aged 66 yrs. 

Joel Boynton 

Died April 24, 1887 

Aged 77 

Gilbert W. Page 
Feb. 9, 1837 
May 12, 1907 

Sarah A. 

his wife 
Jan. 2, 1844 
Nov. 1, 1893 

John Taylor 

Died May 26, 1850 

Aged 37 



299 



300 history of carlisle 

Maria L. 

wife of Prescott Nickles 

former wife of John Taylor 

Born Aug. 22, 1818 

Died Nov. 20, 1906 

Prescott Nickles 

Died Jan. 9, 1884 

Aged 69 yrs., 11 mos. 

A. Warren Monroe 

1827 — 1868 

Mary E. 

His wife 

1823 — 1915 

William M. Parkhurst 

died May 27, 1890 

Aged 73 yrs., 8 mos,, 24 days 

S. Elizabeth 

his wife 

Died June 3, 1891 

Aged 69 yrs. 4 mos. 

Capt. H. W. Wilson 
June 30, 1847 
June 5, 1917 

Nathaniel Hutchinson 
1820 — 1901 

His wife 
Martha A. Duren 
1822 — 1900 



epitaphs from green cemetery 301 

Charles T. Worth ley 
1837 — 1913 
Co. G., 47 Regt., Mass. Vols. 
1862 

James W. Wilkins 
Sept. 19, 1836 
Feb. 28, 1903 

Major Jonas Parker 
Born July 28, 1782 
Died June 2, 1866 

Anna 

his wife 

Born Sept. 12, 1787 

Died Mar. 24, 1872 

Isaac A. Blaisdell 

Died June 22, 1889 

Aged 74 yrs., 1 mo., 7 dys. 

Susan G. 
his wife 
Died July 15, 1895 
Aged 76 yrs., 8 mos., 8 dys. 

Benj. F. Blaisdell 

Died Feb. 23, 1901 

Aged 57 yrs., 1 mo., 13 dys. 

Ella I. 

his wife 

Died Sept. 7, 1872 

Aged 24 yrs., 9 mos., 7 dys. 



302 history of carlisle 

Ebenezer Champney 

Born Mar. 4, 1808 

Died Apr. 16, 1882 

Sarah 

wife of Ebenezer Champney 

Died June 26, 1873 

Aged 63 

Capt. Paul Green Forbush 

Died April 26, 1885 

Aged 83 yrs., 5 mos. 

Olive 

wife of Capt. Paul G. Forbush 

Died June 15, 1874 

Aged 75 yrs. 

Emma L. Forbush 
1846-1905 

Josiah Hodgman 
June 30, 1833 
July 14, 1892 

Maria Bingham 

His wife 

March 9, 1835 

April 8, 1900 

Ezra Page 
Died Feb. 6, 1897 
Age 70 yrs., 7 ds. 

Lucy A. 

wife of Ezra Page 

Died Apr. 24, 1896 

Age 68 yrs., 2 mos., 4ds. 



epitaphs from green cemetery 

Edward S. Hutchins 

1831 — 1900 

Co. G., 47th Mass. Vols. 

Sarah 

his wife 

1835 — 1878 

Lowell Stearns 

Died April 21, 1877 

Aged 57 yrs., 1 mo. 

His wife 

Esther M. G. 

Died Jan. 10, 1895 

Aged 64 yrs., 3 mos. 



George W. Wilkins 
Feb. 26, 1827 — Jan. 22, 1911 
Lucy Jane 
His wife 
June 7, 1826 — Oct. 25, 1896 

William G. Heald 

1802 — 1878 

His wife 

Hannah Page Nutting 

1817 — 1893 

Charles Green 
June 30, 1800 
Feb. 16, 1843 

Lydia Hasting 

His wife 

May 3. 1809 — Dec. 23, 1883 



303 



304 history of carlisle 

Hannah Russell 

wife of Jesse Green 

and Stephen Blood 

July 25, 1771 — Jan. 17, 1868. 

Elizabeth A. 

Dau. of C. & L. Green 

May 5, 1832 — Dec. 24, 1919. 

Albert Boynton 
1812 — 1886 

Mary Boynton 
1816 — 1879 

Capt. Levi S. Hutchinson 

Died Dec. 5, 1881 

Aet. 78 yrs., 9 mos. 

Lavina H. 
wife of Levi Hutchinson 
Died Sept. 8, 1874 
Aet. 76 yrs. 

Charles H. Hutchinson 

1835 — 1912 
Susan M. 

His wife 

1836 — 1909 

Capt. Aaron Fletcher 

Died Feb. 9, 1867 

Aged 89 yrs., 2 mos. & 22 dys. 



epitaphs from green cemetery 305 

Sally Fletcher 

Died July 26, 1874 

Aged 92 yrs., 8 mos., & 14 dys. 

Joanna Adams 
Died Feb. 7, 1895 
Aged 72 yrs., 3 mos., 3 dys. 

Henry Spaulding 
Born July 25, 1815 
Died Aug. 10, 1884 

Harriet B. 

wife of Henry Spaulding 

Born Aug. 16, 1823 

Died Dec. 17, 1883 

Edward J. Carr 
July 23, 1843 
Aug. 9, 1906 

John P. Davis 

Died July 6, 1914 

Age 84 yrs., 5 mos., 8 dys. 

Capt. Thomas Green 

Died Sept. 15, 1864 

Aged 69 

Lucinda 

his wife 

Died Mar. 13, 1840 

Aged 45 



306 history of carlisle 

Maria F. 

his wife 

Died Jan. 10, 1897 

Aged 85 

John Q. A. Green 

Died Oct. 10, 1907 

Aged 81 yrs. 

Sarah 

wife of John Q. A. Green 

Died Dec. 31, 1873 

Aged 46 yrs. 

Nathaniel A. Taylor 
Aged 53 yrs. 

Amanda E. 

wife of Nath. A. Taylor 

Aged 34 yrs. 

Samuel E. Scott 
Aged 60 yrs. 

Louisa E. 

wife of S. E. Scott 

Aged 30 yrs. 

Mary G. 

wife of S. E. Scott 
Aged 69 yrs, 

Asa Nickles 
Died Aug. 15, 1884 
Aged 65 y's, 11 m's 



epitaphs from green cemetery 307 

Olive 
wife of Asa Nickles 
Died Jan. 14, 1899 
Aged 73 y's, 3 m's 

Calvin Heald 

Died May 14, 1870 

Aged 71 yrs. 

Mary C. 

wife of Calvin Heald 

Died Mar. 16, 1885 

Aged 83 yrs. 

Hiram W. Blaisdell 
Oct. 1, 1817 — Jan. 18, 1893 

Susan A. Skelton 

His wife 

Mar. 1, 1824 — July 12, 1903 

Austin Marsh, M.D. 
Sept. 15, 1811 — Feb. 3, 1900 

Mary W. Skelton 

His wife 

June 15, 1818 — Jan. 7, 1903 

Asa Parker Nickles 
Jan. 20, 1850 — Feb. 22, 1919 

His wife 

Mary Ellen 

July 25, 1855 

March 25, 1905 



308 history of carlisle 

John H. Duren 
June 11, 1857 
Apr. 15, 1904 

Minnie H. Brock 
formerly wife of John H. Duren 
Mar. 14, 1861 
Apr. 8, 1917 

William Green 

Born Dee. 4, 1803 

Died June 4, 1887 

Aged 83 yrs., 6 mos. 

Harriet P. 

his wife 

Born Apr. 5, 1813 

Died Feb. 11, 1888 

Aged 74 yrs., 10 mos., 6 days. 

George S. Skelton 
Born Sept. 3, 1827 
Died Mar. 14, 1885 

Martha J. 

his wife 

Born Jan. 25, 1842 

Died April 25, 1909 

Ephraim Davis 
1823 — 1866 

Rebecca 

wife of 

Ephraim Davis 

Died Sept. 11, 1856 

Aet. 31 yrs., 11 mos., 21 ds. 



epitaphs from green cemetery 309 

Lydia a. Davis 

his wife 

1827 — 1883 

George F Duren 
1817 — 1894 

Lucy A. F. Duren 
1822 — 1905 

Mary F. Melvin 
1865 — 1909 

Hermon Leslie Duren 
1852 — 1919 

Isaac F. Duren 
1844 — 1912 

INIary 
his wife 

1850 — 1917 

Annie M. 
wife of George N. Dunn 

1851 — 1892 

Father 

Ephraim Heald 

Died May 13, 1874 

Aged 81 yrs. 

Mother 

Betsey 

his wife 
Died April 18, 1881 
Aged 79 yrs., 3 mos. 



310 history of carlisle 

George Taylor 

1848 — 1908 

Sarah Isabelle Russell 

his wife 

1848 — 1912 

Abel Taylor, Jr. 

Died Dec. 16, 1887 

Aged 82 yrs., 7 mos., 13 dys. 

AURELIA S. 

wife of Abel Taylor, Jr. 
Died Dec. 29, 1882 
Aged 73 yrs., 2 mos., 20 dys. 

James Taylor 
Died Sept. 24, 1874 
Aged 54 yrs., 8 mos. 

Maria 

wife of James Taylor 

Died Feb. 25, 1911 

Aged 87 yrs., 2 mos., 18 dys. 

Artemas Taylor 

Apr. 1, 1841 

May 18, 1892 

His wife 

Frances Taylor 

Nov. 25, 1849 

Jan. 30, 1892 

Humphrey Prescott 
1814 — 1892 



epitaphs from green cemetery 311 

Martha M. 
his wife 

1820 — 1848 

Mary T. 

his wife 

1817 — 1905 

Amos Adams 

1821 — 1910 

Maria J. 

his wife 

1823 — 1892 

Hervey Bingham 
Died Feb. 6, 1894 

M. Jennie Bingham 
Died Oct. 14, 1907 

Frank S. Bartlett 
1850 — 1919 

1820 Daniel Hardy 1872 

His wife 
1823 Joanna B. Pulsifer 1912 

John C. Blaisdell 

July 31, 1855 

Jan. 9, 1910 

Hattie J. 

his wife 

Nov. 21, 1867 

March 5, 1902 



312 history of carlisle 

Elmon B. Rose 
Born Jan. 10, 1842 
Died Sept. 14, 1917 

George McCrady 
1860 — 1916 

Peter Riley 
15 Mass. L. A. 

Andrew Conant 
1840 — 1916 

Anna Maria 

His wife 
1851 — 1916 

Marshall M. Mason 
Feb. 21, 1831 — May 1, 1907 

Clarissa E. 

his wife 

Feb. 18, 1838 — Aug. 7, 1917 

Sebra Dunham Bartlett 

Died July 6, 1905 
Aged 80 yrs., 4 mos., 8 dys. 

His wife 
Mercy Virginia 
Died Nov. 20, 1909 
Aged 83 yrs., 11 mos., 20 dys. 

Paul F. Litchfield 
Born Oct. 12, 1833 
Died Dec. 23, 1900 



epitaphs frbm green cemetery 313 

Sarah E. Carter 

wife of Paul F. Litchfield 

Born Apr. 6, 1835 

Died Feb. 27, 1910 

WiNFIELD S. RiCKER 

1846 — 1917 



His wife 


Attie a. 


Harvey 


1849- 


-1916 


Amos K. 


Baldwin 


1822- 


-1906 


Mary a. 


Baldwin 


1827- 


-1913 



Benson McDonald 

Died Jan. 28, 1907 
Aged 42 yrs., 6 mos., 18 dys. 

James W. Johnson 
1846 — 1912 

Mother 
Amanda Josephine Burkett 
March 5, 1857 
April 17, 1919 

Mary Frances Wilson 

wife of Alvah D. Boynton 

1851 — 1918 



314 history of carlisle 

George H. Wilson 

Died June 25, 1897 

Aged 38 yrs. 

Lily Wilson Burrell 
April 21, 1867 
May 12, 1911 

Timothy Adams 
Feb. 26, 1831 — July 15, 1900 

Asa Duren 
1821 — 1902 

Sarah 

his wife 

1838 — 1911 

1820 Horace N. Wilson 1903 
1828 Sybel His wife 1903 

Henry Keniston 
1818 — 1890 

Ann E. Stone 
His wife 

1838 — 1889 

Elizabeth E. H. 

wife of Rev. S. W. Banister 

Dau. of Hon. B. & C. H. Stevens 

died July 21, 1850 

Aged 31 



EPITAPHS FROM GREEN CEMETERY 315 

Thomas A. Green 
Died May 24, 1881 
Aged 54 y's, 7 m's 

Mary S. 

wife of Marshall Lee 

Feb. 7, 1839 

Jan. 2, 1899 

Anna M. 

wife of William Lee 

Oct. 27, 1839 

Nov. 25, 1897 

Edward E. Wilkins 
Nov. 23, 1827 
May 22, 1894 

Bridget 

his wife 

June 17, 1832 

June 9, 1815 

Artemas Hill 
Died May 13, 1880 
Aet. 70 y'rs, 7 m's 

Betsey R. 
wife of Artemas Hill 
Died Nov. 27, 1866 
Aet. 54 yrs., 5 mos. 

Wm. Blood 

A member of Co. C, 16 Reg., Mass., Vols. 

Killed at 2d Bull Run, Aug. 29, 1862 

Aged 16 



316 history of carlisle 

Jno. N. Blood 
Co. C, 16 Mass. Inf. 

Andrew J. Wilkins 
Born Dec. 4, 1821 
Died Oct. 30, 1901 

Maj. Benjamin F. Heald 

Died July 27, 1892 

Aged 83 years 

Susan 

wife of Maj. B. F. Heald 

Died May 7, 1889 

Aged 73 years 

Rev. James T. Powers 

Died Dec. 17, 1888 

Aged 63 years 

Ai Heald 

Died Jan. 9, 1892 

Aged 79 yrs., 10 mos. 

LURANAII G. 

wife of Ai Heald 

Died May 31, 1877 

Aged 72 y 'rs & 2 mos. 

George P. Nickless 
Apr. 5, 1843 
Oct. 19, 1884 

Sarah A. Nickless 
Aug. 21, 1850 
Aug. 24, 1916 



epitaphs from green cemetery 317 

George M. Litchfield 

April 14, 1844 

May 5, 1913 

Cl.\ra Litchfield 

Jan. 3, 1848 

Dec. 11, 1898 

Wm. a. Prescott 
1857 — 1914 

Mary C. Adams 

His wife 

1855 — 1909 

J. Adolphus Scott 
1824 — 1861 

Emily F. Jones 

Formerly his wife 

1832 — 1900 

Asa Nickles 

Died Aug. 15, 1884 

Aged 65 yrs., 11 mos. 

Olive 

Wife of Asa Nickles 

Died Jan. 14, 1899 

Aged 73 yrs., 3 mos. 

Benjamin Foster 

Died Aug. 12, 1839 

Ae. 78 



318 history of carlisle 

Sarah 

His wife 

Died July 7, 1857 

Ae. 90 

Sebina Eastman 

Born in Amherst, Mass. 

Sept. 28, 1778 

Died Nov. 6, 1855 



Chapter XXVI 

BIOGRAPHY 

Solomon Andrews 

The ancestor of the Carlisle Andrews was Solomon 
Andrews, who moved to Carlisle from Chebacco (Ipswich) 
on ox sleds about 1765. He and his sons cleared the land 
and settled on the site now known as the Captain Page 
Farm. Soloman Andrews is buried in the Old Cemetery 
at Carlisle Center with a stone having the following 
inscription : 

"In memory of 
Soloman Andrews 

who departed this life in full assurance of a better 
Sept. ye 17, 1778 
Aged 79 years." 

Of his ten children, all born at Chebacco, two sons 
settled in Carlisle, to have descendants, Edmund Andrews, 
b. Jan. 9, 1741; Issachar Andrews, b. Dec. 25, 1744. 
Issachar inherited his father's farm (Captain Page Farm) 
and Edmund purchased an adjoining farm, which land 
is now (1920) owned by Chester Duren. 

Edmund Andrews was a constable in Carlisle, 1784, 
and highway surveyor 1787. He served in the Revolu- 
tion in Capt. Abishai Brown's company in Col. Josiah 
Whitney's Massachusetts Regiment. He was great-grand- 
father of Mrs. George E. French, who now lives on the 
Captain Page Farm. Issachar Andrews, who also settled 
in Carlisle, was a lieutenant in Capt. Samuel Heald's 
company and later was made a captain. He was select- 
man and assessor 1781-84, grand juryman 1783, tithing- 

319 



320 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

man 1787. He was great-grandfather of Miss Grace 
Taylor, who was born in Carhsle and is now a teacher in 
Lowell. 

Mrs. George E. French. 

Rev. Paul Litchfield 

Perhaps no name is more strongly identified with 
the early history of Carlisle than that of Litchfield. On 
the seventh of November, 1781, there came to this beauti- 
ful little hilltop town a young man who had just gradu- 
ated from Harvard University, to be ordained as the 
pastor of the Orthodox Church. The Reverend Paul 
Litchfield was born in Scituate, Mass., March 12, 1752. 
He was the son of Thomas Litchfield, a descendant of 
Lawrence Litchfield, of whom colonial records say: "he 
was in Barnstable where he bore arms in 1643." From 
Barnstable he went to Scituate to settle permanently, 
and from this source springs practically every branch of 
the Litchfield family in America. It may be assumed, 
therefore, that the forebear of the Litchfield family in 
America was this same Lawrence Litchfield, who must 
have come over from England with the Puritans, and 
very likely for the same reason, ergo, to escape the 
religious persecutions of that time. Hence it can be easily 
established that the origin of the Litchfield family is 
antedated in New England by but few if any. 

The ramifications of this family are many and inter- 
esting. That they were prolific in progeny is evidenced 
by the statement of Deane, in his history of Barnstable, 
that "no family in this country has increased to a greater 
extent." In fact, at the present day around Scituate and 
in its neighboring towns the name of Litchfield is about 
as often encountered as that of the famous Crowell family 
on Cape Cod. 

The Rev. Paul Litchfield took up his duties in Car- 



REV. PAUL LITCHFIELD 321 

lisle at a time when the new-born republic was battling 
for its life. The United States was just coming into being, 
and the country and the people were in a state of great 
impoverishment. There was little silver and gold, and 
colonial currency had not yet reached any degree of cir- 
culation. The farmers of Massachusetts, among whom 
this young collegian was settling, were men of thrift, of 
honesty, of capacity, of the best English stock, but they 
were poor. It may be assumed therefore, that this young 
minister of God was confronted with a problem that 
might well daunt the strongest of hearts. It is known, 
though, that he met his difficulties with the proper spirit 
and carried on his pastorate with success. A little way 
to the north of the village he established his home, a sub- 
stantial colonial house, built after the fashion of the 
times, of hewn timbers, mortised joints, and with a solid 
foundation. There it stands today, overlooking the roll- 
ing land to the reaches of the Concord, a view unsurpassed, 
and which must have furnished many a moment of 
inspiration to the cultivated mind of such a man. 

The coming of a college-bred man to a community 
such as Carlisle was in those days must have been an 
event, for education was not common as we know it to- 
day, and a knowledge of Latin and Greek and the classics 
was a passport to the highest circles, as well as a demand 
for the respect and deference of others. 

It is a matter of regret that no likeness, not even a 
silhouette, of the Rev. Paul Litchfield is in existence. A 
description of this man, who was undoubtedly a figure of 
considerable prominence in his time, can be but vaguely 
given. It is believed that he was a slender, rather delicate, 
scholarly man, with gentle manners and a soft voice. Of 
his pulpit oratory there is no doubt that it was commen- 
surate. Many of his sermons and papers were lost when 
the homestead passed out of the family some thirty years 



322 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

ago. It would have been fortunate, indeed, if they had 
been preserved, as a means of throwing light upon his 
character. 

The pastorate of the Rev. Paul Litchfield, like that 
of most of the ministers of the gospel of that period, 
extended through the duration of his life. He died 
November 5, 1827, aged 75 years, 7 months and 13 days. 

While it is not the purpose of this sketch to go largely 
into the genealogical records of the Litchfield family, it 
will perhaps be of interest to give brief mention of those 
descendants of Paul Litchfield who were identified with 
Carlisle. The family records state that the Rev. Paul 
married Miss Mary Bailey of Scituate, but no date of 
the marriage is given; probably immediately after his 
graduation from Harvard College. To them were born 
the following children; Mary B., Paul, Roland, Ben- 
jamin, Philo and Franklin. 

Mary Bailey Litchfield, wife of Rev. Paul Litchfield, 
died July 27, 1809, at the age of 59. Afterward the Rev. 
Paul took a second wife, Sarah Capron of Braintree. 

Of the sons of the Rev. Paul, the last named, Frank- 
lin, graduated from Harvard College in the class of 1810, 
and entered at once upon a brilliant career. He studied 
medicine in Charleston, S. C, with the celebrated Dr. 
Ramsey, and afterwards practised with "distinguished 
success in Jamaica and other places in the West Indies." 
He married a daughter of a prominent family of Caracas, 
de Senha. He warmly espoused the cause of freedom in 
South America from the yoke of Spain, and was largely 
responsible for the successful revolutions that established 
the independence of Colombia, Venezuela and other 
states. He settled finally at Puerto Cabello, where he was 
appointed United States Consul by President Munroe, 
his commission being dated December 22, 1823. The 
exact date of his death is not at hand. 




CAPTAIN THOMAS GREEN 



CAPT. THOMAS GREEN 

Another son, Roland, remained on the homestead. 
He married Rebecca Simonds, and to them were born 
four children. Three sons, Paul Franklin, William 
Francis and George; the daughter, Mary Bailey, died 
in young womanhood. Of these sons, William was a 
Civil W^ar veteran. After the war William went to 
New Mexico and Arizona, where he identified himself 
with gold mining. Paul Franklin and George remained 
on the farm. George finally settled in Lexington, where 
he engaged in the ice business. Paul Franklin settled 
in Lowell, where he was for many years a well-known 
business man. 

Geobge W. Goode. 

Capt. Thomas Green 

The Greens were in Carlisle at an early date. John 
Green, a hatter, son of Samuel and Martha Green of 
Maiden, married Martha Hunt of Concord, and lived 
in the center of Concord, but later sold out and moved 
to the southeast part of Carlisle, and had six children 
John2, born June 7, 1730; Zacheus, born March 6, 1731/2 
Samuel, born Sept. 15, 1739; Nathan, born Aug. 3, 1735 
Asa and Sarah. 

John^, the eldest son, married Elizabeth Spaulding of 
Concord, had six sons: Leonard, born Nov. 11, 1760; 
Jesse, born Aug. 25, 1762; Reuben, born July 7, 1767; 
Deacon John, born July 27, 1769; Amos, born March 5, 
1772; Calvin, born June 3, 1775. 

Leonard, the eldest son of John^, after his father's 
death bought the farm from his heirs and built a house 
on the opposite side of the road. The farm is known 
at the present time as the Morton Green place. The 
old house stood until about 1870. 

Thomas, the third child of Leonard and Thankful 
Eastherbrooks, was born June 20, 1795. He spent his 



324 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

early life upon his great-grandfather's farm. During 
the War of 1812 he enlisted and spent three months at 
Fort Warren. Thomas married Lucinda Wheat of 
Carlisle, March 16, 1820, and occupied the "long block," 
where he kept store. Had one son, George Washington, 
born Sept. 16, 1827. His wife died March 13, 1840; he 
married for his second wife Maria Forbush of Carlisle, 
Dec. 22, 1840, and moved to the old homestead, which 
place he had bought previously. Had four children: 
Lucinda Maria, born May 13, 1842; Leonard Morton, 
born Oct. 28, 1843; Eliza Jane, born Feb. 27, 1846; Thomas 
Albert, born March 4, 1849. 

Capt. Thomas Green, as he was known, was closely 
identified with the interests of Carlisle. Twenty-four 
years he was town treasurer, giving up the office on 
account of sickness; he filled the oflfices of selectman, 
assessor and overseer at different times. For two terms 
he served as Representative at the General Court. He 
was an attendant and supporter of the First Religious 
Society; and in his will left a legacy for the support of 
preaching. A short time before his death he bought his 
uncle's place. Deacon John Green's, in the center of 
Carlisle, and made extensive repairs with the expectation 
of occupying it himself, but was taken sick and never 
left the old home place. He died Sept. 15, 1864, at the 
age of 69 years. 

After the death of Capt. Thomas Green, his widow 
remained on the home place for five years; during the 
time her two daughters died, Eliza Jane, Oct. 19, 1866, 
at the age of 20 years, Lucinda Maria, March 5, 1869, 
at the age of 26 years. 

Jan. 1, 1870, Leonard Morton married Ella H. 
Buttrick and settled on the home place, it having been 
willed to him by his father. The widow and the younger 
son, Thomas Albert moved to the Deacon John Green 




y. 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN IIEALD 325 

place. Mrs. Thomas Green died Jan. 10, 1897, at the 
age of 85 years. 

Mks. Mahy a. Green. 



John Dana Robbins 

The town of Carhsle has the distinction of being 
the birthplace and late home of one of the largest men 
physically in the State and probably in the country, in 
the person of John Dana Robbins, born April 6, 1809, on 
what is now generally known as the Deacon Samuel B. 
Chamberlain place in the westerly part of the town. 
He was the son of John and Jane Templeton Robbins, 
and was six feet and two inches tall, and weighed four 
hundred and fifty pounds. 

On April 22, 1826, he married Caroline Lakin; they 
were the parents of seven children, four sons and three 
daughters: John, Samuel Heald, Paulina Nickles, Mary 
Hunt, Charles Harrison, Georganna Maria and Daniel 
Webster. ]Mr. Robbins always resided in the west part 
of the town and by occupation was a farmer. He died 
Oct. 14, 1858, aged 49 years, 6 months, 8 days, and was 
buried in Green Cemetery in his native town. 



Benjamin Franklin Heald 

Benjamin Franklin Heald was born in the original 
Heald homestead, where his father and grandfather were 
born, in the south part of Carlisle, Oct. 25, 1809, and 
was the son of Thomas and Abi Heald. He attended 
the public schools in Carhsle and Lowell, and the academy 
in Westford, Mass. On Jan. 14, 1838, he was united 
in marriage with Miss Susan P. Kimball, and was sub- 
sequently engaged in the pursuit of agriculture at or 
near the place of his birth. Ten children, seven sons 



326 HISTOEY OF CARLISLE 

and three daughters, were born of the union, as follows: 
Thomas H., Angeline, Timothy W., Austin Marsh, 
Benjamin Franklin, Susan Adeline, Charles, George C, 
Imogene B., and Washington Irving. 

In politics Mr. Heald was a Democrat, and was 
usually looked upon as a leader and councilor in the 
principles of the party by his townsmen of the same 
persuasion. In his earlier years he taught school in 
Carlisle, Chelmsford and Concord, and for several years 
was chairman of the Carlisle School Board, also at various 
times he held elective town offices, prominent among 
which was that of selectman, which office he held for 
seven years. He was a constant attendant and supporter 
of the First Religious Society in Carlisle, and for many 
years held the office of parish clerk. 

At twenty years of age Mr. Heald identified himself 
with the state militia, and received the commission of 
ensign, Aug. 21, 1830, which position he held until April 
19, 1834, when he was discharged by reason of his resig- 
nation. On May 5, 1835, he was commissioned as captain, 
which office he held until May 16, 1836, when he was 
commissioned major, serving in the third division of the 
third regiment of the First Brigade, M. V. M.; this posi- 
tion he held until by general orders he was discharged 
April 24, 1840. 

Mr. Heald represented his town in the State Legis- 
lature as a member of the House of Representatives in the 
year 1848. In 1880 he wrote a history of Carlisle for 
Drake's History of Middlesex County. 

Mrs. Heald died May 7, 1889, and Mr. Heald died 
in Somerville July 27, 1892; the interments in both cases 
were in the family lot in Green Cemetery in Carlisle, 
where at the east entrance is the symmetrical Heald 
memorial, erected by their son, Benjamin Franklin 2d, 
in respect to their memory. 




MAJOR HEN JAM IN FRANKLIN HEALD 



dr. austin marsh 327 

Dr. Austin Marsh 

Austin Marsh, born Sept. 15, 1811, was a descendant 
of William S. Marsh, who came with his brother John 
from England and settled in Connecticut. He was one of 
nine children, and the youngest of seven sons born to 
Elias and Anna Marsh of Sharon, Vermont. His father 
was the first male child born in that town, and in con- 
sideration of the event was presented by the town with a 
grant of one hundred acres of land. His mother had 
seven brothers, three of whom were Congregational min- 
isters. The eldest, Samuel Wood, at one time taught 
school, and Daniel Webster was one of his pupils. 

Austin Marsh attended the public schools of Sharon, 
and took an advanced course at Royalton Academy 
under Prof. Perley Sprague, a popular educator, and a 
year later studied with his eldest brother. Rev. Joseph 
Marsh, by whose advice he took up the study of medicine, 
beginning with Dr. Smalley of Randolph, Vt., and later 
with Dr. Converse of Strafford, and finally graduated 
from Dartmouth Medical College in 1835 and received 
his medical degree. 

Dr. Marsh opened an office in Lowell and met with 
marked success in his profession, but in consideration of 
the urgent request of Rev. Preserved Smith of Carlisle, 
and of other inhabitants of the town, he was persuaded 
to move there, which he did in 1838. On July 14, 1839, 
he was united in marriage with Miss Mary W., daughter 
of Dr. Benjamin Skelton of Pelham, N. H., the ceremony 
being performed by Rev. U. C. Burnap of the Api)leton 
Street Congregational Church of Lowell. On July 31, 
1839, Dr. Marsh became a member of the Massachusetts 
Medical Society. 

Three children were born to Dr. and Mrs. Marsh, 
Mary Amanda, Palmer Austin and Susie S.; the latter 
became the wife of Mx^. Arthur Morse, and died July 26, 



328 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

1891. Dr. Marsh when but nineteen years of age taught 
school, and later taught one term in Carlisle. 

He and his wife and family had the confidence and 
were held in great esteem, not only by the townspeople, 
but by all who knew them. He served the town as select- 
man, town clerk and school committee, and his service 
as town physician for a term of sixty years would be 
hard to parallel. Dr. and Mrs. Marsh passed the sixtieth 
anniversary of their wedding quietly in their home Friday, 
July 14, 1899. Because of the doctor's feeble health, 
the family requested that there be no formal observance. 
Dr. Marsh died Feb. 3, 1900, as the clock struck twelve, 
ushering in the new day, aged 88 years, 4 months, 19 days, 
and was the oldest living member of the Massachusetts 
Medical Societv at the time of his decease. 



George Frederick Duren 

George Frederick Duren, son of Isaac and Mary 
(Blood) Duren was born in Carlisle April 13, 1817. Mr. 
Duren always lived at the ancestral home, which had 
been in the family name for three generations. Reuben 
was the first and was classed among the early settlers 
of Concord, which for many years included this town. 
He was succeeded by his only son Isaac in the family pos- 
session, who was followed by his only son, George Fred- 
erick. Mr. Duren possessed many of the sterling traits 
of his father and grandfather; he enjoyed the confidence 
of his fellow townsmen and held every town office except 
that of treasurer. He held the commission of justice of 
the peace from 1853 to 1894, having been first appointed 
by Governor Gardner; he took the undertaker business 
from his father in 1835, which he kept until 1894. 

July 6, 1843, George F. Duren and Lucy A. F. Pease, 
of Wilton, Maine, were united in marriage, by Rev. James 




DR. AUSTIN xMAUSII 



JOANNA (parker) gleason 329 

Means, in Concord. Six children were born to this worthy 
couple; four lived to grow up and were married: Isaac F. 
married Mary Lewis of Lunenburg; Hermon L. married 
Lottie Lewis of Lunenburg; George R. married Marie 
Ouilette of Lowell; and Mary F. married John Melvin 
of Concord. George R. is the only surviving child. Four 
grandchildren and two great-grandchildren are lineal 
descendants. On July 6, 1893, one of those rare but always 
pleasing events, a golden wedding, took place at the 
Duren home. A large company of relatives and friends 
kept the worthy couple busily employed during the entire 
afternoon in acknowledging warm greetings and con- 
gratulations: in the evening a pleasing program of music 
and readings was given, thus bringing the happy occasion 
to a close. Mr. Duren passed away the following year 
on May 18, at the age of 76 years, Mrs. Duren lived until 
March 7, 1905; her age was 82 years, 10 months and 17 
days. 

Joanna (Parker) Gleason 

Mrs. Joanna (Parker) Gleason was born in Carlisle, 
Dec. 11, 1819, daughter of Major Jonas and Anna 
(Adamsj Parker. She came of Revolutionary stock. 
Her father attained the rank of major in the army, 
having served several enlistments, and was stationed at 
Fort Warren, Boston harbor, when the British were 
attempting to enter. He is credited to Chelmsford, as 
Carlisle was not incorporated at that time. After the 
war he served the town of Carlisle as a member of the 
board of selectmen for a period of eight years. Her 
grandfather, Capt. Timothy Adams of Chelmsford, also 
had a good military record. He was in the battle at 
Bunker Hill and subsequently served other enlistments. 

Mrs. Gleason began keeping school in Carlisle at 
fourteen years of age and subsequently taught in Concord 



330 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

and Billerica, having in all ten terms of experience in 
teaching the old-fashioned summer schools. As one 
memorial of this service she possessed a certificate for 
teaching signed by the late Ralph Waldo Emerson, chair • 
man of the Concord School Committee, dated April 30, 
1836. 

She was married to Mr. John Gleason in the year 
1858, and they lived on her home place in Carlisle until 
the year 1872, when they moved to Sudbury, where they 
later purchased a dwelling which they occupied until 
their decease. 

Mrs. Gleason was very generous in disposing of the 
larger portion of her property (estimated to have been 
upward of forty thousand dollars) before her death. She 
gave for worthy objects in her native town of Carlisle, 
as well as in her adopted town of Sudbury. Both of these 
towns will revere her name for her liberal donations, an 
account of which appears elsewhere in this work. 

Mrs. Gleason died Friday, Oct. 16, 1896, at her home 
in Sudbury, aged 76 years, 10 months, 5 days. The funeral 
was Monday, Oct. 19, at her late home. Rev. W. G. 
Seaman of the local Methodist church was the officiating 
clergyman. The town of Carlisle contributed a large 
open floral book, with the word "Rest" of purple immor- 
telles on one page, as a token of esteem; a number of the 
townspeople were in attendance at the funeral. During 
the hour of the funeral service, the schools in Carlisle 
observed a memorial service in her honor, listening to a 
sketch of her life and benevolences, and extracts from 
letters written by her. The interment was beside the 
remains of her late husband, near the entrance to the 
Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Sudbury, on a sightly emi- 
nence, indicated by a beautiful granite monument enclosed 
in a lot with granite curbing. 

The buildings on the old home place in the easterly 




GEORGE FREDERICK DUREN 



JOHN PROCTOR DAVIS 331 

part of Carlisle were burned within a short time after Mr. 
and Mrs. Gleason vacated them in 1872. The cellar hole 
alone remains, looking desolate and lonelj^ around which 
the writer in travelling that way once saw four foxes 
sporting about, and so the scene changes. The farm, 
which at one time was cultivated and productive, is now 
either woodland or pasture. 

John Proctor Davis 

John Proctor Davis, a life-long resident and honored 
citizen of Carlisle was born Jan. 28, 1830, on the farm 
which was his home during his entire life. His only occu- 
pation was farming. His mother, Rebecca Proctor, was 
born and always lived in Carlisle. His father, John Davis, 
came here when a young man, from Hancock, N. H., his 
ancestors having gone there from Concord, Mass. 

Mr. Davis married, Sept. 25, 1860, Lucretia Stearns 
of Billerica, and their union was blest with eleven chil- 
dren, six sons and five daughters, of whom one died in 
infancy. All the others lived to mature years. The chil- 
dren were: 

1. Mary Rebecca, born Feb. 9, 1862, died July 1, 1909. 

2. Palmer John, born Jan. 28, 1864; married May 23, 
1906, Nettie Maria Wheeler. 

3. George Perry, born March 30, 1866; married 
Dec. 31, 1896, LillaMowatt. Children: (1) Charles Sidney, 
born Nov. 6, 1897; (2) George Clayton, born July 18, 1899; 
died, April 5, 1900; (3) Irene Hazel, born Nov. 16, 1900. 

4. Martha Elizabeth, born Nov. 13, 1867; married 
Jan. 12, 1911, John Melvin. 

5. Alden Reed, born April 22, 1870; married Oct. 30, 
1895, Lucy Wellington Roby. Children: (1) John Alden, 
born April 30, 1897; (2) Leonard, born May 12, 1900, 
died May 15, 1900; (3) Sterling Roby, born July 22, 1901. 



332 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

6. Lizzie Jane, born April 16, 1872, died May 3, 1872. 

7. Sarah Lane, born March 4, 1873. 

8. Emma Stearns, born Jan. 4, 1875; married Oct. 13, 
1897, Herbert Page Button. Children: (l) Mabel Lu- 
cretia, born July 31, 1898; (2) Francis Hiram, born Nov. 
2, 1900; (3) Onslow Stearns, born Dec. 23, 1902; (4) 
Raymond Herbert, born June 1, 1905; (5) George Wal- 
lace, born Oct. 22, 1907; (6) Warren Edward, born Sept. 
28, 1913. 

9. Albert Wright, born Aug. 30, 1877; married 
April 12, 1905, Edith Luella French. 

10. Austin Howard, born Aug. 30, 1877; married 
April 30, 1902, Josephine May MacDonald. Children: 
(1) Donald Austin, born July 23, 1904; (2) Wilhard 
Grant, born Aug. 9, 1906; (3) Norman Elliot, born June 
22, 1908; (4) Ruth, born Sept. 22, 1915. 

11. Sidney Augustus, born March 28, 1880; married 
Oct. 29, 1902, Carrie Hilda Hanson. Children: (1) Ralph 
Sidney, born July 21, 1904; (2) Eva Gladys, born April 
12, 1907; (3) Evelyn Marion, born Aug. 7, 1911, died 
Sept. 16, 1912; (4) Richard Stearns, born March 21, 1914. 

The old homestead was a long, low, old-fashioned 
house, and in this the family lived until 1878, when the 
present fine set of buildings was erected. Mr. Davis was 
a member of the Congregational Church and of the 
Middlesex North- West Temperance Association, and 
was always intensely interested in their work. He was 
very conscientious and honest in all his dealings, and was 
often elected to town office, serving the town as a mem- 
ber of the school committee, and as assessor of taxes, also 
holding the office of selectman for a period of ten years. 
He was a man of rugged constitution and enjoyed good 
health until a few months before his decease, which 
occurred Monday July 6, 1914, at the advanced age of 
84 years, 5 months and 8 days. The funeral services were 




JOHN PROCTOR DAVIS 



GEORGE HEALD ROBBINS 333 

held from his late home on the following Thursday. Rev. 
P. A. Job, pastor of the Congregational Church, of which 
he was a member, officiated. A quartet sang "Gathering 
Home" and "God's Ways are Best." Four of his sons 
served as bearers. Many friends and neighbors gathered 
to honor his memory and the beautiful flowers that they 
contributed evidenced the esteem in which he was held. 

George Heald Robbins 

Ephraim Robbins, son of Ephraim and Sibyl (Spauld- 
ing) Robbins, was born in Carlisle May 3, 1796, and died 
Nov. 18, 1880, and was one of a family of four children. 
He was educated in the public schools of his native town, 
and at the academy in Westford, Mass. On Dec. 13, 1821, 
he was united in marriage to Ann Lovjoy, and they became 
the parents of a family of six children, four sons and two 
daughters, as follows: Ephraim Oscar, born Oct. 22, 
1822, died Sept. 19, 1903; Malvina Ann, born July 14, 
1824, died April 1, 1915; Sibyl Spaulding, born April 16, 
1826, died May 1, 1882; John Nelson, born June 30, 1827, 
died May 21, 1831; George Heald, born Sept. 17, 1830, 
died April 24, 1919; Henry Clay, born June 27, 1836. 

The children were all born on the old ancestral farm 
in the northerly part of Carlisle, which was originally a 
part of the town of Chelmsford. Robert Robbins, who 
came to this country before the year 1670, was the founder 
of this branch of the Robbins family, and either he or his 
son George was the first owner of the Carlisle farm, title 
to which has remained in the family to the present time 
(1920). George Heald Robbins, to whom this article more 
particularly refers, was educated in the public schools of 
Carlisle and Lowell. When he was twenty-seven years 
of age he went to Princeton, Illinois, where he was engaged 
during the years 1857-58 in surveying land. 



334 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

On Sept. 15, 1861, he was united by marriage to Mary 
Heald Melvin. They had three children, Arthur Graham, 
born July 11, 1862, and Mary Malvina and Carrie Melvin, 
born March 27, 1864. 

In October, 1868, Mr. Robbins purchased a farm in the 
southerly part of Carlisle, where he spent the remainder 
of his days, engaged in agriculture and surveying. Mr. 
Robbins was also a very capable town official, and at 
various times was elected to the position of selectman, 
assessor, member of school committee and superintendent 
of schools. His decease was on April 24, 1919, at the 
advanced age of 88 years, 7 months, 7 days, being at that 
time, the oldest citizen of the town. The funeral services 
were held at his late home on April 29 and were attended 
by a large number of neighbors and friends. Rev. Ben- 
son P. Wilkins of the Congregational Church, was the 
officiating clergyman, and the burial was in Sleepy Hollow 
Cemetery in Concord. 

His son, Arthur Graham, graduated from the Massa- 
chusetts Institute of Technology with the Class of 1886, 
since which date he has been a member of the instructing 
staff of the Civil Engineering Department of that insti- 
tution, from 1896, serving as one of the faculty. 

Paul Franklin Litchfield 

Paul Franklin Litchfield, the subject of this sketch, 
was the grandson of the Rev. Paul Litchfield, who was 
Carlisle's pastor for so many years in the early history of 
the town, and the oldest son of Roland Litchfield, who 
died a comparatively young man. The death of his 
father placed upon Paul Franklin's youthful shoulders 
for a time the heavy responsibility of maintaining the 
home place, assisted by his two younger brothers, William 
and George. It was characteristic of young Paul that he 




(;E()R(iE HEALD UOBHIXS 



PAUL FRANKLIN LITCHFIELD 335 

should assume his burden with vigor and courage and the 
enthusiasm of youth. But he speedily found the task a 
serious one. Times had changed. The railroad had sup- 
planted the stage coach, the stone walls of the farm were 
no longer the boundaries of a profitable career. The 
country was outgrowing old customs, progress was in the 
air, and the old was giving way to the new. The com- 
fortable old homesteads, with their stony acres from 
which a hard living was wrung, were no longer attractive, 
at least not to the rising generation. 

At this period, the establishing of manufacturing 
centers throughout New England promised better recom- 
pense than was offered by agricultural pursuits, and per- 
suaded many to turn to those rapidly growing communities 
where it was easier to make a living. Paul Franklin's 
ambitious nature and enterprising spirit answered at once 
to the call. It is a matter of interest, perhaps, briefly to 
follow the career of this man, whose achievements in 
business and social life were so diversified and successful 
as to stamp him certainly as one of Carlisle's most enter- 
prising sons. 

Mr. Litchfield's first business venture was in Saxon- 
ville, Mass., where he met with success, and incidentally 
romance, for it was there that he met Sarah Carter, a very 
pretty Vermont girl, who became his wife. 

Seeking broader fields, he next took up his abode in 
Chelsea, and was for a time employed in the clothing 
store in Boston known as Oak Hall. It was his impulse, 
however, to progress and seek wider opportunities, so 
we find him returning to his home town, where he for a 
while kept a store in a building at the present day occu- 
pied as a post office. 

From thence he removed to Lowell, where he devel- 
oped a very profitable business in the selling of farm 
products on commission, associated with Charles For- 



336 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

bush of Carlisle, and later also with W. A. Ingham, also 
of the same town. He later became interested in the manu- 
facture of woolen goods at Thetford, Vermont, and also 
at Merrimac, New Hampshire, in which latter business 
his oldest son, William F., was interested. In fact, Mr. 
Litchfield's business interests were many and varied. He 
possessed in a large measure an adaptability, or perhaps 
it might be better called a versatility, quite out of the 
ordinary. With a remarkable quality of judgment, he 
was the possessor of a sound physical constitution, which 
enabled him to pursue what to the ordinary man would 
have been a too strenuous life. He was not a believer in 
idleness, his watchwords being industry and persistence. 

In Lowell he owned a beautiful home on Chelmsford 
Street, known as the W aite place. Eventually he removed 
to a residence on East Merrimack Street, Belvidere, soon 
after his retirement from the commission business. He 
manipulated many heavy real estate deals in Lowell and 
other places. The Lowell Registrar of Deeds once in- 
formed the writer of this article that doubtless the name 
of Paul F. Litchfield figured in the records more often 
than that of any other man in the county. 

He was also heavily interested in the establishing of 
Lowell's first telephone system, in company with W. A. 
Ingham and others. His alert mind was quick to grasp a 
new idea and estimate the values of the future. 

About this time his health began to show signs of 
becoming impaired and he retired for a couple of years 
to a farm which he had acquired in Westford. Here he 
regained strength and became interested in the cattle 
business. Later he removed to Chelmsford and estabhshed 
yards in Brighton, where for some years he was one of 
the largest dealers in cattle in that market, which was 
the business he was pursuing at the time he was stricken 
with the illness which terminated his useful and busy life. 




PAUL FRANKLIN LITCHFIELD 



DANIEL WEBSTER ROBBINS 337 

To those who knew Paul F. Litchfield words of eulogy 
are superfluous. To know him was to become one of his 
legion of friends. His breadth of mind, tolerant opinions, 
and genial nature made him a welcome spirit in any gath- 
ering. He was by heredity and early training, while 
perhaps not a devout, yet a devoted church attendant. 
His Sabbath School class was one of the fondest associa- 
tions of his life, and he seldom missed its attendance. 

Mr. Litchfield's tastes were essentially domestic. 
The happiest moment of his life perhaps, was when all 
members of his family were seated at his hospitable board. 
Nor were friends, nor even strangers, less welcome. 

To Paul F. and Sarah C. Litchfield were born six 
children, WilHam, Frederick, Adeline, Elizabeth, Susan 
and Grace. Of these three survive, William, Susan and 
Grace. 

Mr. Litchfield never aspired to shine in public life. 
He sought no political office. He was essentially a business 
man. His was a rich and a full life, devoted to useful and 
honorable ends, and this statement in itself is as fitting 
and suflficient a tribute as can be paid to his memory. 
His affection for his home town of Carlisle and its asso- 
ciations never wavered. He died Dec. 23, 1900, at his 
home in Chelmsford, and sleeps beside his wife in 

Carlisle s beautiful Green Cemetery. 

George W. Goode. 

Daniel Webster Robbins 

Daniel Webster Robbins, son of John Dana and 
Carohne Lakin Robbins, was born in Carhsle Jan. 11, 
1845. He attended the Carlisle public schools, and did 
farm work, until the beginning of the Civil War in 1861, 
when at the age of sixteen he enlisted in Company C, 
Sixteenth Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, 
and was in active service under Generals McClellan, 



338 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

Burnside, Hooker, Meade and Grant for four years, and 
was honorably discharged as sergeant in 1865. 

Soon after the war he spent four years in Cahfornia 
engaged in ranching and kmibering. On returning to his 
native State and town he learned the mason's trade, and 
has executed many important contracts in this line, the 
one most conspicuous, perhaps, being the Gleason Library 
in Carlisle. 

On Dec. 20, 1871, he was united in marriage to 
Lizzie Luella Wilson. They are the parents of six children, 
as follows: Alice Luella, Wallace A. (deceased), Fred E., 
Sara Frances, Waldo S. (deceased) and William F. In the 
year 1885 Mr. Robbins purchased what was known as the 
Albert Boynton farm, near the village, where he now 
(1920) lives. He was an active member of Troop F 
Cavalry, Massachusetts State Militia for twenty years, 
and first sergeant for eight years. He is a member of 
Oberlin Lodge No. 28, I. O. O. F., of Lowell. 

In politics Mr. Robbins is a Republican, and in the 
fall of the year 1899 was a candidate for Representative 
from the twenty-seventh Middlesex Representative Dis- 
trict, a double district, and was defeated by a small 
margin. His first presidential vote was cast for General 
Grant. He has always been a very popular candidate for 
town office, and has held the more important oflSces for 
varying periods, as follows: town clerk, four years; select- 
man, eighteen years; assessor, twenty years; overseer, 
six years ; and has served as moderator of very many town 
meetings with credit to himself, and entire satisfaction to 
the voters of the town. 

Capt. Horace Waldo Wilson 

Horace Waldo Wilson was born in Billerica on 
June 30, 1847, and was the eldest of eleven children, four 




DAMEL WEBSTER ROBBINS 



CAPT. HORACE WALDO WILSON 339 

sons and seven daughters born to Horace Newell and 
Sybil (Spaulding) Wilson. He received his early educa- 
tion in the Billerica schools, living in his native town until 
he was twenty-one years of age; then going to Carlisle, he 
leased the Paul F. Litchfield farm for one year. He next 
decided to learn the carpenter's trade, and served an 
apprenticeship for this purpose with Mr. Alonzo G. 
Green, of Chelmsford, and was in his employ for ten years. 
He then spent several years in the occupation of con- 
tractor and builder, and finally purchased four adjoining 
farms in the southerly part of Carlisle, on which he made 
extensive improvements and built a large barn, which he 
stocked with a large herd of cattle, and engaged in the 
dairy business, frequently shipping more than fifty cans 
of milk daily to the Boston market. The place became 
known as the "Wilson Stock Farm." In connection with 
his dairy business for several years Captain Wilson also 
dealt in native wood and lumber at wholesale, employing 
a number of men and teams that worked the year 
round. 

Captain Wilson was a member of the state militia for 
a period of twenty-eight years, serving as a member of 
Troop F Cavalry, and after having been advanced through 
the several non-commissioned offices, was elected and 
commissioned second lieutenant, June 1, 1883, first lieu- 
tenant April 21, 1885, and captain Dec. 21, 1888, serving 
five years in the latter office; he was the first officer to be 
placed on the retired list, after the passage of the retire- 
ment law. 

Captain Wilson was united in marriage with Sarah 
Elizabeth, only daughter of William M. and Elizabeth 
Parkhurst, on Jan. 2, 1871. They had an adopted son, 
Ernest C, and two grandchildren. He was a member of 
Royal Arch Chapter and Corinthian Lodge of JNIasons of 
Concord, Middlesex North Pomona Grange, Carhsle 



340 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

Grange, Spaulding Light Cavalry Association, and a mem- 
ber of the First Parish Church. 

Captain Wilson w'll be kindly remembered by the 
citizens of Carlisle because of his munificent gift to the 
town of the memorial chapel with furnishings located in 
Green Cemetery. It was given in memory of his father 
and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Horace N. Wilson, and is 
ornamental and useful for the purpose for which it was 
intended. It was dedicated on Memorial Day, Thursday, 
May 30, 1907, with appropriate exercises. 

Captain Wilson died at his home, June 5, 1917, after 
several weeks of prostrating illness, aged 69 years, 11 
months and 5 days. The funeral services were observed 
at his late home Saturday, June 9, and were attended by 
Rev. Elvin J. Prescott, pastor of the First Parish Church, 
of which deceased was a member and a trustee, Mrs. 
Benjamin Derby of Concord Junction, sang three selec- 
tions. The body rested in a casket surrounded by a 
wealth of flowers. Over two hundred people were present, 
including relatives, neighbors, friends and delegations 
from organizations of which deceased had been a member. 
The remains were interred in a cement vault in Green 
Cemetery, where Masonic services were observed by 
Eoyal Arch Chapter and Corinthian Lodge of Masons 
of Concord. 

Sidney Augustus Bull 

Sidney Augustus Bull, of Billerica, Mass., was born 
in Harvard, Mass., Dec. 17, 1847, and was the oldest of 
three children born to Sidney Haskell and Mercy Sawyer 
Bull. The other members of the family were John Everett 
and Abbie Louisa, the latter of whom died Nov. 19, 1870, 
aged 16 years, 6 months, 17 days, and was buried in the 
family lot in Harvard. Mr. Bull spent the first eighteen 
years of his life on the home place, a farm in the easterly 




CAPTAIN HORACE WALDO WILSOX 



SIDNEY AUGUSTUS BULL 341 

part of Harvard, where he assisted in the farm labors, 
and attended the public schools of the town. 

His parents offered him a college education but he 
had a decided preference for mercantile pursuits, and 
made his desire known to an uncle who lived in Framing- 
ham, and it was in the latter part of February, 1866, 
that a letter from his uncle revealed to him the welcome 
news that he had secured for him a position in one of the 
several stores at Framingham Center. The conditions 
of the contract included a two-years term of service, 
with board and room, and one hundred dollars additional 
for the first year, and one hundred and fifty dollars for 
the second year. The room was a part of the attic over 
the store, and for considerable of the time he was the 
only nocturnal occupant of the building. 

The merchant, Mr. Edwin H. Warren, and his 
prospective clerk had never met; the merchant, however, 
sustained the reputation of being very methodical and 
systematic in the conduct of his business, and consequently 
could impart good business principles to his employees. 
The remuneration was at least not very flattering, for it 
was during the period of reconstruction immediately 
following the Civil War, when prices for labor and com- 
modities were comparatively high, for instance, farm 
labor demanded an average of $2.25 to $2.50 per day, 
and articles necessary for the home were selling as follows : 
flour, $25 per barrel; sugar, three pounds for a dollar; 
forty-inch unbleached cotton at sixty cents per yard; 
print cloth, thirty-three cents per yard, and other tilings 
in proportion. But the remuneration was not a con- 
sideration with the would-be clerk; the main thing was 
to get a knowledge of the business that he had decided 
to make his life work. Accordingly, on the last day of 
February, he bade adieu to his school and home, and on 
the morning of March 1, 1866, commenced his term of 



S42 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

service, and never spoke of wages until the expiration of 
the two years, when he was re-engaged for the third year 
at a price of his own naming. 

At the close of the third year the confinement of 
the store life began to be monotonous, and he determined 
to go back to the farm for a year at least, and on March 1, 
1869, returned to the Harvard homestead, where he 
performed farm labor until the following winter, when 
he accepted an agency for the autobiography of P. T. 
Barnum, the great show man, for which he canvassed 
the towns of Clinton, Hudson and Marlboro with good 
financial results. 

In the spring of 1870, hearing of a store business for 
sale in the town of Carlisle, he made an investigation 
and was favorably impressed with the apparent business 
possibilities, and on May 19, 1870, purchased the stock 
and fixtures of the only mercantile business in the town. 
On July 1 of the same year he received the appointment 
of postmaster, which oflSce he held for twenty years, with 
an interval of two years under the administration of 
President Cleveland. 

There was very little store business being done in 
the town previous to the above transfer, but with the 
addition of new goods, with diversified lines to satisfy 
the demands of the people, the volume of business 
increased, and John E. Bull, brother of the proprietor, 
was the first clerk employed. Four years later more help 
was required, and another clerk was added to the force. 
At the end of five years a partnership was formed, embrac- 
ing in its membership the two brothers under the firm 
name of S. A. & J. E. Bull. 

In 1870 when Mr. Bull commenced business in 
Carlisle, it was not the usual custom to send out teams 
for orders, but five years later the custom was getting 
w^ell established, and the new firm put teams on the road 




MR. AND MRS. SIDNEY AIGUSTIS BULL 



SIDNEY AUGUSTUS BULL 343 

during five days of each week, finally running to the 
center of several of the surrounding towns, thus securing 
many new customers and largely increasing the volume 
of business, so that many lines of goods were purchased 
in carload lots. 

There was a public hall over the store hired by the 
firm, and on the evening of Feb. 9, 1879, a dramatic 
entertainment was given there by the Carlisle Squad of 
Troop F Cavalry of which Mr. Bull was a member. 
It was near midnight after the close of the entertainment 
that the building was discovered to be on fire, which 
originated between the ceiling of the hall and the roof 
of the building, resulting from a defective chimney. 
There was no fire apparatus in the town, and the building 
was burned to the ground. A portion of merchandise 
from the store was removed to the street, but the loss 
to the firm by damage and fire was four thousand dollars, 
and there was no insurance. The occupants of the dwelling 
in connection with the store, Mr. and Mrs. Alvah D. 
Boynton, with whom the members of the firm were 
living, were also losers by the fire. 

On the following day a small store near by, owned 
by Mr. Jabez Reynolds, was hired, and the store goods 
moved in from the street. The firm paid in full every 
dollar of indebtedness, and purchased from the owner, 
Mr. Albert Boynton, the site of the old store, on which 
they erected new and more commodious buildings, 
including a store sixty by thirty -two, with two tenements 
in the second story, back store, shed, storehouse and 
two barns twenty-five by thirty-three each. More than 
twenty men were employed in constructing the new 
buildings, under the direction of Mr. Alonzo G. Green of 
Chelmsford, and it was completed and occupied by the pro- 
prietors in August, 1879, and without doubt was at least 
one oi the finest and best arranged stores outside the cities. 



344 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

Soon after occupying the new store, Mr. Warren B, 
Chamberlin was added to the working force, and after 
a few years' clerkship was granted a third interest and 
became a partner in the business, under the firm name 
of Bull & Chamberlin. With the better facilities for 
handling the business, the volume accordingly increased. 
The second member of the firm, Mr. John E. Bull, because 
of failing health, soon considered it wise for him to with- 
draw from membership, and sold his interest to his 
brother the senior member of the firm, who continued to 
hold a two-thirds interest in the business until September, 
1892, when he sold his interest to his partner, Mr. Cham- 
berlin, and his brother Daniel L. Chamberlin, who con- 
tinued the business under the firm name of W. B. & 
D. L. Chamberlin. 

On April 25, 1893, Mrs. W. B. Chamberlin, wife of 
the senior partner of the new firm, purchased and took 
a deed to the store property and land in Carlisle, and on 
April 30 of the same year Mr. Bull and family moved to 
Billerica Center, occupying what was known as the Paul 
Hill place, which he had purchased from Mr. Hill in 
October of the previous year. Thus he completed a busy 
mercantile life of nearly twenty-three years in Carlisle, 
without ever displaying a business sign on his store, 
and practically without the leisure to do so. 

The following is a partial list of the clerks who 
served an apprenticeship during Mr. Bull's mercantile 
life in Carlisle: John E. Bull, Gilbert G. Wilkins, Edwin 
C. Munroe, Elmer J. Taylor, James A. Webster, Dennis 
A. Long, W^illiam L. Smith, Edwin B. Currier, George P. 
Davis, Warren B. Chamberlin, Daniel L. Chamberlin, 
Andrew W. Wilkins, Willie S. Barrett. 

Mr. Bull was treasurer of the town of Carlisle for 
nine years, also for varying terms of service he was town 
auditor, selectman, tax collector, and library ti-ustee. 




DENNIS A. LONG 



SIDNEY AUGUSTUS BULL 345 

Mr. Bull in politics was a Republican and in the fall of 
1879 was elected by a large majority of votes over his 
Democratic opponent who had carried the district on 
several previous elections, for representative in the State 
Legislature from the twenty-sixth Middlesex County 
Representative District, which included the towns of 
Concord, Acton, Carlisle and Lincoln. He was one of 
the youngest members of the House and served as a 
member of the Committee on County Estimates. 

Mr. Bull was an active member of Troop F Cavalry 
of the Militia of Massachusetts for eighteen years, serving 
under the following commanders: Captains Christopher 
Roby, Sherman H. Fletcher, Horace W. Wilson and 
Elisha H. Shaw. He held consecutively the non-com- 
missioned offices of corporal, guidon, sergeant and com- 
missary, and because of a change in residence was dis- 
charged from the service Nov. 10, 1893. He has since 
been a member of the Spaulding Light Cavalry Asso- 
ciation. 

Mr. Bull was united in marriage on April 8, 1885, 
with Miss Luella Meserve Cann, and began housekeeping 
in one of the tenements over the Carlisle store. They are 
the parents of three children, Leslie Augustus, Leila 
Sawyer and Albert Sidney, all born in Carlisle. On April 
8, 1910, they celebrated the twenty-fifth anniversary of 
their wedding at their Billerica home. Six hundred invi- 
tations were sent out; the day was stormy, but a good 
number responded by their presence. The reception 
rooms were decorated, an orchestra of four pieces dis- 
pensed music during the afternoon and evening, and the 
D. L. Page Company of Lowell catered. 

At the state election held on Nov. 4, 1902, Mr. Bull 
was a candidate for Representative in the General Court 
from the twenty-seventh Middlesex Representative Dis- 
trict, including the towns of Billerica, Burlington, Carlisle, 



346 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

Dracut, North Reading, Tewksbury, Wilmington and 
AYards 5 and 9 in Lowell, forming a double district, but 
both he and his running mate, William T. Sheppard, 
Esq., of Lowell, were defeated by their Democratic 
opponents by a small margin. 

After moving to Billerica, Mr. Bull's principal busi- 
ness was farming. He made many improvements in the 
twelve-acre farm which he had recenth' purchased, and 
established on it a valuable fruit orchard that produced 
much prize fruit. As a side line, he secured the agency for 
several insurance companies, and conducted a fire insur- 
ance agency for sixteen years, which he finally turned 
over to his younger son when he completed his college 
course in 1915. In 1894 he built Central Block, a three- 
story structure, forty by fifty-four feet, embracing two 
stores and two tenements, located east of the Billerica 
Common, on land that formed a portion of his farm. 

In 1890 Mr. Bull wrote a brief history of the town 
of Carlisle for the History of Middlesex County. In 1903 
he received the appointment of justice of the peace, which 
office he continued to hold for fourteen years. In 1907, 
when he and his family were spending a vacation in 
Washington, D. C, at the request of the Billerica veterans 
of the Civil War he secured for the town, through the 
influence of United States Senator H. C. Lodge, a Parrot 
gun which was used in the Civil War, and which was later 
mounted on a granite base at the north end of the Com- 
mon. 

Mr. Bull was a member of the Orthodox Congrega- 
tional Church successively in Harvard, Carlisle and 
Billerica, and one of the incorporators of the First Ortho- 
dox Congregational Society in Billerica. He was a lover 
of music, and a choir leader for twenty-five years, sang 
several seasons with the Lowell Choral Society, and was a 
charter member of the Los Angeles (California) Oratorio 



SIDNEY AUGUSTUS BULL 347 

Society, where he spent a dozen winters, and when there 
sang with them. He was also a charter member of the 
Billerica Grange, and the Billerica Historical Society, 
being one of the incorporators of the latter. He was vice- 
president of the JNIiddlesex North Agricultural Society, 
and for many years a member of its board of trustees. 

For several years he served as a member of the 
Billerica Republican town committee, holding at different 
times the more important offices of chairman, secretary 
and treasurer. 

Mr. Bull was a great lover of travel, and spent much 
money and time in seeing some of the world. After he 
was married, when his family were growing up, he took 
them with him, so that his children were several times 
pupils in the Los Angeles schools. His travels embraced a 
distance of over two hundred thousand miles by sea and 
land, and besides including trips through most of the 
United States and Canada, the Provinces, Mexico, the 
Bahamas, Bermudas, Cuba, and a trip abroad, including 
Scotland, England, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland and 
France. He also attended seven of the great international 
expositions, at Philadelphia, Paris, Buffalo. Chicago, St. 
Louis, San Francisco and San Diego. 

The following genealogical information starts with 
the genealogy of Capt. Thomas Bull, the pioneer emigrant 
in America, bearing the family name, which now has 
many sponsors. 

Capt. Thomas Bull b. England 1G06, embarked for 
New England in the "Hopewell," Thomas Babb, Mas- 
ter, Sept. 11, 1635, settled in Hartford, Conn., m. Susan 

his wife 1643, d. 1684. a. 78. They had four sons 

and three daughters. 

Deacon Thomas Bull (of Capt. Thomas) b. 1646, 
settled at Farmington, Conn., m. 1669 Esther Cowles. 
d. 1708, a. 62. They had five sons and three daughters. 



348 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

John Bull (of Deacon Thomas^ of Capt. Thomas) b. 
1670, m. 1698 to Esther Royce. d. 1705, a. 35. They had 
four children, two of them twins. 

Thomas Bull (John^ Thomas^ Thomas^ b. 1699, m. 
Thankful Butler, June 29, 1720. d. 1770, a. 71. They had 
two sons and four daughters. 

Samuel Bull (of Thomas of John of Thomas of 
Thomas) b. 1722, m. Jerusha Hopkins, Nov. 7, 1745. d. 
1794, a. 72. They had ten children, six sons and four 
daughters. 

Thomas Bull (of Samuel, Thomas, John, Thomas, 
Thomas) b. Sunday, Nov. 20, 1748, m. Ruth Merriam of 
Wallingford, Conn. They had four children, viz : Hannah, 
Merritt, Sabra and Thomas Ransalier. 

Merritt Bull (of Thomas, Samuel, Thomas, John, 
Thomas, Thomas) b. July 20, 1775 at Harwinton, Conn., 
m. Nov. 26, 1801, to Hannah daughter of Aaron Cook of 
Winchester, Conn., d. May 28, 1824. They had five sons 
and three daughters. 

Sidney Haskell Bull (of Merritt, Thomas, Samuel, 
Thomas, John, Thomas, Thomas) b. Feb. 18, 1806, at 
Winsted, Conn., m. Nov. 25, 1841, Louisa Hartwell of 
Littleton, Mass. She d. Dec. 16, 1844. He m. second 
time Dec. 23, 1846, Mercy Sawyer of Harvard, Mass., d. 
Aug. 7, 1889, a. 83. They had three children, two sons 
and one daughter. 

Sidney Augustus Bull (of Sidney, Merritt, Thomas, 
Samuel, Thomas, John, Thomas, Thomas) b. Dec. 17, 
1847, at Harvard, Mass., m. April 8, 1885, Luella 
Meserve Cann of Billerica, Mass., being the eldest son of 
the eldest son all the way down from the original pioneer 
bearing the family name. They had three children, two 
sons and one daughter, viz., Leslie Augustus, b. Aug. 24, 
1888, at Carlisle, Mass., m. June 18, 1914, Garaphelia 
Howard; Leila Sawyer, b. Nov. 1, 1890, at Carlisle, 




n 




&. (jiit/i. 



JOHN EVERETT BULL 349 

Mass.; Albert Sidney, b. Jan. 12, 1892, at Carlisle, 
Mass. 

John Everett Bull 

John Everett Bull, son of Sidney Haskell and Mercy 
Sawyer Bull, was born in Harvard, Mass., Nov. 17, 1850. 
His early life was spent on a farm owned and carried on by 
his father. His education was obtained in the public 
schools of the town which kept twelve weeks in the sum- 
mer and twelve weeks in the winter, and through which 
he became quite well fitted for business life which he 
entered in early manhood. 

May 19, 1870, he came to Carlisle for the first time, 
entering the employ of his older brother as clerk in the 
village store. In January, 1875, he was received as partner 
on equal terms under the firm name of S. A. & J. E. Bull, 
which firm later became known as Bull & Chamberlin by 
the entrance of Warren B. Chamberlin into the same. In 
1888 Mr. Bull sold his share in the business to his brother 
and retired from the firm. 

In 1893 he removed to Billerica Center, erected a 
modest but comfortable house in which to live and 
November, 1894, started a fancy dry and furnishing 
goods store in the same village, in which business he con- 
tinues at the present writing (1920). 

He served the town of Carlisle for two terms as 
School Committee and as Town Clerk for ten years, 
declining a re-election for further service. 

April 29, 1880, he was married to Miss Susan M. 
Butters of Burlington, who proved a willing helper in 
every good work. Two sons were born to them, Everett 
Sidney, Oct. 14, 1882, and Wilbur Irving, Feb. 3, 1888. 

Mr. Bull was actively interested in church and 
Sunday School work in Carlisle, being Sunday School 
superintendent for fifteen years and holding the office 



350 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

when he removed from town. The church of his choice 
was the Congregational, his pohtical party was Republi- 
can; in principle, a firm believer in temperance, in practice, 
a total abstainer; his known position on the latter two 
points doubtless caused defeat in his only political venture 
outside of his town when he was a candidate for Repre- 
sentative to the General Court of the state. 



Mary A. Green 

Mrs. Mary A. Green, only child of Joseph and Mary 
E. (Munroe) Butters, was born in Burlington, Mass., 
July 22, 1853. She comes of Revolutionary stock. Her 
great-great-grandfather, Samuel Butters 2d of Wilming- 
ton, marched on Lexington alarm, April 19, 1775, in 
Capt. Freeborn Moulton's company of minute men, of 
Monson, and in Colonel Donnelson's regiment. Her great- 
grandfather, Joseph Butters, of Wilmington, son of 
Samuel Butters 2d, enlisted during the war of the Revo- 
lution in Captain Wright's company, Enoch Hale's 
regiment of New Hampshire, to reinforce garrison at 
Ticonderoga. 

Her great-grandfather, Jonas Munroe, on her mother's 
side was a descendant from William Munroe, who settled 
in Lexington (then Cambridge Farms). Said Jonas Mun- 
roe of Carlisle (then Billerica) was in Solomon Pollard's 
company of militia, Colonel Green's regiment, which 
marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service one day; 
also Capt. Solomon Kidder's Company, Colonel Brook's 
regiment; return endorsed "1776" and probably made up 
at White Plains; said Munroe reported as having lost 
articles in battle and as having been sent with the wounded, 
Mrs. Green received her early education in the public 
schools of her native town; later she received private 
instruction for about three years, which fitted her for enter- 




MRS. MARY A. GREEN 



MARY A. GREEN 351 

ing Mt. Holyoke Seminary in advance. School teaching, 
which she enjoyed, occupied her attention for a few years; 
she taught the "Mountain School" in Burhngton and later 
the West and Center Schools of Carlisle. April -27, 1880, 
she married Thomas A. Green, son of Capt. Thomas and 
Maria Green, and came to Carlisle, where she has since 
lived. Mrs. Green, believing it to be a privilege, as well as 
a duty, to be helpful in the community where one lives, 
has willingly worked for everything which would con- 
tribute to the honor and benefit of the town. She has 
served the town in the follo^\'ing offices: was elected a 
trustee of the pubhc library in 1893, an office she has held 
up to the present time, with the exception of one year. 
Over seven years she served on the school board: during 
that time, in 1898, the board took active measures for the 
consolidation of the schools. A beginning was made by 
having the schoolhouse in the East district brought to 
the center of the town. 

Pupils in tlu'ee of the districts were brought to the 
two schoolhouses in the center, where they were graded. 
Tliis action proved later the necessity of having a new 
schoolhouse where all the pupils of the town could be 
accommodated and where they could receive better 
instruction. 

Since 1890 she has given generously of her time and 
strength, as librarian of Gleason Public Library; previous 
to that time she had assisted in Hbrary work for about 
nine years, when the library was in private houses. After 
the completion of the Gleason Library building, in 1896, 
before it was opened to the public, ^Irs. Green made the 
first classified catalogue. The classification of the books 
at that time greatly lessened the work when, some years 
later, the library was recatalogued under the card system, 
the Free Public Library Commission directing the work. 
The aim of Mrs. Grtvn as librarian and trustee, has been 



352 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

to anticipate the needs of the library and when possible, 
have them supplied. 

Warren Bradley Chamberlin 

Warren Bradley Chamberlin was born in Bath, N. H., 
Feb. 23, 1854. He was the son of Isaac H. and Jane (Lang) 
Chamberlin, one of seven children, having three sisters and 
three brothers. His early life was passed in Bath, attend- 
ing school and working on his father's farm. In 1876 he 
married Elizabeth Delano Tower of Cohasset, Mass., and 
the next year removed to Carlisle, buying the farm called 
the Eastman place in the east part of the town. In 1884 
he sold the farm and worked for S. A. & J. E. Bull in their 
general store. In 1886 he entered the firm as partner, 
later buying out the business and in company with his 
brother, Daniel L. Chamberlin, carrying it on under the 
firm name of W. B. & D. L. Chamberlin. On account of ill 
health he sold his share of the business to his brother in 
1907 and spent the remaining years of his life in light 
farming. After many years of ill health he died Nov. 6, 
1919. 

During his residence in Carlisle he held most of the 
town offices within the gift of the town, and was town 
treasurer for nineteen years. He was for thirty- three 
years a member of the Congregational church in Carlisle, 
a part of the time serving as Sunday school superintend- 
ent, and a great lover of music. He was, as long as his 
health permitted, a faithful member of the church choir. 

On account of ill health, Mr. Chamberlin, accom- 
panied by his wife, spent two years in Southern Cali- 
fornia, most of the time living in Los Angeles or Monrovia; 
in the latter place he was employed in one of the leading 
grocery stores. 

For several years Mr. Chamberlin was a member of 
the State Militia, serving as a member of the Carlisle 




WARREN BRADLEY ( HAMHERLIX 



WILLIAM FRANKLIN LITCHFIELD 353 

Squad, Troop F. Cavalry. Mr. Chamberlin was at two 
different times appointed postmaster for the town of 
Carlisle, serving in this eapaeity nearly five and one- 
half years, and was a justice of the peace for twenty- 
four years. 

William Franklin Litchfield 

William Franklin Litchfield, oldest son of Paul F. 
Litchfield, was born in Saxonville, Mass., June 16, 1857. 
His boyhood days were spent mostly in Carlisle, where he 
attended school at the old red brick schoolhouse in the 
Center. Later, when his parents moved to Lowell, he 
returned at the age of fourteen to live with his grand- 
mother at the old Litchfield parsonage, where he took care 
of five cows and the stock of the farm, attending mean- 
while the North School. 

To write in detail of the varied and enterprising 
career of William F. Litchfield would require a great deal 
more space than it is permitted to give here. ]\Iany a 
young nuin has been aptly spoken of as being a "chip of 
the old block." There is no doubt that such a thing as 
heredity really exists, and perhaps much of the remarkable 
physical energy and business capacity possessed by Paul F. 
Litchfield was handed down to his son. 

William F. Litchfield started life with a purpose, to 
which he has firmly adhered, and this was to win success. 
That he has won it is due to perseverance and devotion to 
ideals of absolute honesty much to his credit. His business 
training was greatly assisted by a course at Bryant & 
Stratton's Business College. His first employment away 
from home was as messenger boy in the Western Union 
Telegraph office in Lowell. Next he became engaged in 
the clothing business, and eventually proved his executive 
ability to such an extent that he was given the manage- 
ment of his father's woolen mills at Merrimac, N. H. 



354 HISTORY OF CARLISLE 

He was married to Amy C. Taylor of Maynard, Mass., 
in 1880, and later in 1883 removed to Minneapolis, Minne- 
sota, a rapidly growing city in those days, where he con- 
ducted a profitable hardware business, and sold and 
installed the first street lamps used in that city. 

Not caring much for the West, he returned to Lowell 
and bought the grocery store at the corner of Fayette and 
Andover Streets, removing later to the corner of High and 
Andover Streets, where he established a successful trade, 
remaining there for ten years. 

But with the progressive instincts of the true busi- 
ness man, he was ever on the watch for a change that might 
advance him on the highway to fortune, and seeing what 
he believed to be his opportunity, he sold out his grocery 
store and transferred his interests to Maynard, Mass., 
where he engaged in the coal business. Here he was the 
first man in that vicinity to establish up-to-date machinery 
for the handling of coal, and devised and built his own 
elevator after his own ideas. 

This meant also the construction of an expensive 
steel bridge across the Assabet River from his coal pockets 
to his office. His success was assured and for twenty-five 
years he has remained a resident of the progressive town 
of Maynard. He is prominent in town affairs, otherwise 
than political, is a director of the Maynard Bank, and 
has a beautiful home in the most desirable part of the 
town. He has lately retired from business. 

Mr. Litchfield is a devoted family man, has hosts of 
friends, and can surely feel that his efforts have yielded 
him a full meed of that prosperity and happiness which 
is the life object of the average man of worth. 

George W. Goode. 

Dennis A. Long 
Born in Carlisle, Aug. 10, 1866. Was taught hard 
work in early life and has never forgotten it. Decided 




WILLIAM FRANKLIN LITCHFIELD 



DENNIS A. LONG 355 

while employed by S. A. & J. E. Bull, as clerk in their 
Carlisle store, that it was necessary to obtain at least a 
limited education. Left Carlisle to go to school in Lowell, 
where he attended the jNIann School one term, winning 
first prize for improvement in penmanship, the cause for 
which he ascribes to the fact that he was so poor a writer 
at the start. 

He took the examination for the Lowell High School 
in the forenoon, and in the afternoon was working in the 
hayfield in the employ of Benjamin Heald, in Billerica. He 
completed the three-years course in the Lowell High 
School in a little more than two years. During this period 
he was employed in newspaper work on the old Morning 
Times, and was elected president of the graduating class. 
He continued in the newspaper work in Lowell until the 
year 1890, when he went South, where in 1892, he helped 
to organize the Southern Baseball League, becoming 
owner and manager of one of the teams. 

In 1894 he selected the cities and organized the 
Western Baseball League, managing and owning the 
Toledo, Ohio, team. In his eight years of baseball experi- 
ence he developed more young ball players than had ever 
been brought out up to that time by any one manager. 
After spending nine years in the South, West and Central 
States, he returned to Lowell in 1899 and established the 
Lowell Sunday Telegram, which has been a prosperous 
business venture, and a newspaper very extensively read, 
and of much influence. He owns the five-story Telegram 
Building in the heart of Lowell, and is one of the large 
taxpayers. 

Mr. Long was united by marriage July IC, 1901, with 
Miss Mary A. Gorman of Lowell, who was a teacher in 
the Lincoln School. They have four children, one son, 
and three daughters, and reside at GIO Andover Street, 
Lowell. 



I 



INDEX 



Acton, 8, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 48, 153, 

213, 221, 225 
Adams, Albion A., 88 
Adams, Amos, 311 
Adams, Clara M., 144 
Adams, George G., 114 
Adams, James, 7 
Adams, Joanna, 305 
Adams, John Q., 88 
Adams, Joseph, 2 
Adams, Maria J., 311 
Adams, Samuel, 83 
Adams, Capt. Timothy, 46 
Adams, Timothy, 314 
Allen, Col. Charles H., 103 
Amos, Amos, 45 
Anderson, John, 92 
Andrews, Abraham, 44 
Andrews & Wheeler, 101 
Andrews, Edmond, 20 
Andrews, Issacher, 16, 19, 43, 128 
Andrews, Jeremiah, 14 
Andrews, Lucy, 194 
Andrews, Nehemiah, 30, 31, 129 
Andrews, Solomon, 156, 276, 319 
Anthon, Joseph, 92 
Anthony, James S., 131 
Armes, Rev. A. Herbert, 219, 223 

Bailey, Mary, 176 

Baker, John S., 36 

Baldwin, Amos, 26, 313 

Baldwin, Mary A., 313 

Ballard, Rev. Josiah, 214 

Banister, Elizabeth E. H., 314 

Banister, Rev. Seth W., 48 

Barrett, Benjamin, 42, 48, 71, 83, 84, 

129, 291 
Barrett, Benjamin, Jr., 56 
Barrett, Joseph, 242 
Barrett, Sabra N., 291 
Barrett, W. S., 38 
Barritt, Christopher, 20 
Barron, Oliver, 19 



Bartlett, Frank S., 54, 311 

Bartlett, Mercy Virginia, 312 

Bartlett, Sibra D., 130, 312 

Bearce, Eugene S., 131 

Bedford, 25, 70, 80, 81, 83 

Beissert, Herman, 92 

Bellow Hill, 239 

Bent, James E., 146 

Billerica, 8, 14, 15, 16, 23, 115, 157 

Billington, Rev. F. H., 58, 59, 78, 127 

Bingham, Emily, 299 

Bingham, Harris, 194, 298 

Bingham, Hervey, 311 

Bingham, Maria, 302 

Bingham, M. Jennie, 311 

Bixbv, Moses M., 92 

Blaisdell, A. C, 37, 38 

Blaisdell, Benjamin F., 50, 301 

Blaisdell, Edgar I., 38 

Blaisdell, Ella I., 301 

Blaisdell, Hattie J., 311 

Blaisdell, Hiram W., 307 

Blaisdell, Isaac, 30, 40, 301 

Blaisdell, John C, 311 

Blaisdell, John G., 39 

Blaisdell, Marv W. Skelton, 307 

Blaisdell, Mrs. Lucy M., 167 

Blaisdell, Susan G., 301 

Blaisdell, Mrs. Sybel G., 298 

Blanchard, Rev. Amos, 209 

Blanchard, E. A., 98 

Blood, Abel, 292 

Blood, Amos, 24 

Blood, Anna, 194 

Blood, Barrett, 45 

Blood, Frederick, 33, 129 

Blood, John X., 88 

Blood, Jonathan, 1, 2, 3, 4, 128 

Blood, Jonathan N., 316 

Blood, Marv, 290 

Blood, MarV E., 290 

Blood, Mrs. Melietable, 274 

Blood, Phineas, 19, 128, 155, 291 

Blood, Phineas, 292 



357 



358 



INDEX 



Blood, Mrs. Sarah, 292 

Blood, Sarah, 172, 194 

Blood, Susan M., 290 

Blood, Mrs. Susanna, 292 

Blood, Silas, 292 

Blood, Simon, Jr., 19, 74, 80, 128, 292 

Blood, Capt. Stephen, 31, 83, 274 

Blood, Stephen, Jr., 43 

Blood, Willard, 19 

Blood, William, 88, 315 

Blood, William H., 88 

Blood, Zeehariah, 2 

Blood's Farm, 1, 3, 5 

Booth, Frank, 37 

Boston, Phillip, 45 

Bowdoin, Lieut. James, 22 

Boynton, Albert, 50, 214, 304 

Boynton, Joel, 48, 299 

Boynton, Mary, 304 

Boynton, Samuel, 208 

Bradley, J. J., 37 

Breen, Thomas, 92 

Brock, Minnie H., 308 

Brooks, Jonathan, 3 

Brown, A. R., 65 

Brown, Eleazer, 2 

Brown, Edward, 19 

Brown, Samuel, 51, 155 

Brown, Thomas, 18 

Brown, Corp. W. H., 92 

Bruce, John W., 229 

Bull, Albert S., 261 

Bull, John E., 127, 349, 350 

Bull, Leila S., 260 

Bull, Leslie Augustus, 260 

Bull, Mrs. Luella M., 98 

Bull, Sidney A., 39, 100, 101, 102, 

128, 130, 340, 349 
Bull, Mrs. Susan W., 98 
Bull, Wilbur I., 259 
Biu-kett, Amanda Josephine, 313 
Burkett, N. J., 37 
Burrell, Lily Wilson, 314 
Butler, Joseph, Jr., 45 
Buttrick, Nathan, 18 
Buttrick, Nathan, Jr., 293 
Buttrick, Thankful A. G., 293 

Carlisle Common, 33 
Carlisle, England, 7, 251, 252 
Carlisle Pines, 122 
Carlton, John, 93 



Carr, Charles A., 246 

Carr, E. J., 40, 61, 305 

Carr, Mrs. E. J., 110 

Carr, Frank F., 258 

Carr, J. F., 34, 106 

Carr, Walter A., 259 

Carroll Brothers, 60 

Carter, George W., 93 

Casey, F. A., Co., 115 

Central Burying Ground, 31, 47, 69, 

212 
Chamberlin, D. L., 39, 59, 127 
Chamberlin, W. B., 39, 66, 127, 128, 

352-353 
Champney, Ebenezer, 302 
Champney, John H., 39, 88 
Champney, Sarah, 302 
Chandler, James, 3 
Chase, Elizabeth, 172 
Chelmsford, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 25, 77, 93, 

118, 157, 206 
Church, Dr. John H., 177 
Clark, Henry N., 37 
Clarke, Thomas, 13 
Clary, Rev. J. W., 196 
Conant, Andrew, 312 
Conant, Anna Maria, 312 
Concord Bridge, 64 
Concord River, 4, 5, 6, 10, 16, 64, 80, 

81, 84, 85 
Concord, Mass., 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12, 

15, 16, 18, 25, 44, 48, 50, 80, 104, 

118, 144 
Cook, Fred C, 61, 131 
Cotton, Roland, 13 
Crosby, John, 45 
Crosby, Sarah, 23 
Cumber, George, 89 
Currier, Edna F., 166 
Currier, Edwin B., 37 
Ciu-rier, Edwin C, 89 
Currier, J. M., 130 
Cutter, John E., 39 

Davis, Charles S., 246 

Davis, Lydia A., 309 

Davis, Capt. Isaac, 48 

Davis, Ephraim, 308 

Davis, John, Jr., 10 

Davis, John P., 57, 130, 305, 331-333 

Davis, Rebecca, 308 

Davis, Samuel, 10 



INDEX 



359 



Day, Albert S., 34, 130 

Day, B. F., 98 

Day, Elijah N., 89 

Dight, Alexander, 203 

Dix, R. Wilson, 60 

Dow, E. L., 37 

Dowden, Rev. William H., 215 

Dracut, 211 

Drake, Samuel Adams, 7 

Dunklee, J. J., 40 

Dunn, Annie M., 309 

Dunn, George N., 309 

Durant, Reuben, 45 

Durant, William 129 

Duren, Asa, 314 

Duren, Frederick, 89 

Duren, George F., 32, 49, 127, 214, 

241, 309, 328-329, 
Duren, George R., 59, 66 
Duren, Hermon L., 309 
Duren, I. F., 34 
Duren, Isaac, 36, 290, 309 
Duren, Isaac, 209 
Duren, John H., 308 
Duren, Lucy A. F., 309 
Duren, Mary, 309 
Duren, Reuben, 33, 275 
Duren, Sarah, 314 
Duren, Mrs. Susanna, 275 
Duren, Warren C, 37, 61 
Dutton, Herbert P., 220 
Dutton, Mary M., 285 
Dutton, Myranda, 89, 285 

Eastman, Sebina, 318 
Elbin, Levi, 92 
Emery, Samuel, 22 
Emmons, Rev. Nathaniel, 174 
Esty, F. M., 146 
Esty, John M., 89 

Fadden, R. E., 246 
Farrar, Lucy, 285 
Farrar, Lydia A. G., 101 
Farrar, Lydia G., 75, 77, 285 
Farrar, Stephen, 285 
Farrar, William, 75, 285 
Fenderson, Simeon B., 92 
Fitch, D. W., 115 
Fletcher, Aaron, 129 
Fletcher, Capt. Aaron, 304 
Fletcher, Henry, 20 



Fletcher, Sally, 305 

Fletcher, Sarah, 18 

Flint, Amos, 20 

Forbush, Charles, 65, 66, 85, 89 

Forbush, Emma L., 104, 302 

Forbush, Hannah, 285 

Forbush, Joseph, 88 

Forbush, Olive, 302 

Forbush, Paul, 284 

Forbush, Paul G., 31, 50, 83, 129, 302 

Foss, William, Jr., 37, 237 

Foster, Agness, 172 

Foster, Benjamin, 155, 317 

Foster, Lieut. Benjamin, 275 

Foster, Sarah, 318 

French, George E., 120 

Garland, Rev. Joseph, 213, 214 

Gerow, John S., 39 

Gerow, R. A., 247 

Gilson, Albert A., 89 

Gleason, Joanna, 107, 108, 120, 121, 

329-331 
Grant, General, 49 
Green, Mrs. Abi, 279 
Green, Anna S., 284 
Green, Asa, 256, 280 
Green, Lieut. Asa, 19, 20, 65, 74, 278 
Green, Benjamin, 284 
Green Cemetery, 32, 67, 70, 71, 73, 75, 

76 
Green, Charles, 303 
Green, Cyrus, 129, 283 
Green, Elizabeth A., 304 
Green, Mrs. Elizabeth, 278 
Green, Mrs. Elizabeth, 283 
Green, Mrs. Emma J., 104 
Green, Mrs. Esther, 281 
Green, Ephraim, 283 
Green, George W., 39 
Green, Miss H. L. C, 72, 73, 101, 280 
Green, Hannah (wife of Isaiah), 279 
Green, Harriet P., 308 
Green, Isaiah, 83, 129, 279 
Green, James, 129, 299 
Green, Jefferson, 282 
Green, John, 128, 129 
Green, Capt. John, 19, 279 
Green, Dea. John, 56, 70, 71, 283 
Green, John P., 89 

Green, John Q. A., 100, 103, 107, 306 
Green, Joseph W., 284 



360 



INDEX 



Green, Leonard, 44, 49, 282 

Green, Mrs; Lois (wife of James), 299 

Green, Mrs. Lois (wife of Nathan), 

280 
Green, Lois, 280 
Green, Lucinda, 305 
Green, Mrs. Lydia, 282 
Green, Lydia Hasting, 303 
Green, Maria F., 306 
Green, Martha, 172 
Green, Mrs. Martha, 279 
Green, Martha A., 284 
Green, Mrs. Mary (wife of Deacon 

John), 283 
Green, Mrs. Mary A., 98, 350-352 
Green, Nathan, 51, 65, 128, 129, 280 
Green, Nathan, Jr., 31, 33, 46, 56, 281 
Green, Patty, 284 
Green, Mrs. Rebekah, 282 
Green, Samuel, 14, 110, 128, 281 
Green, Samuel, 282 
Green, Samuel S., 110 
Green, Sarah, 195 
Green, Mrs. Sarah, 281 
Green, Silas, 283 
Green, Mrs. ThanMul, 282 
Green, Capt. Thomas, 40, 53, 71, 86, 

305, 323-325 
Green, Thomas, 128, 164 
Green, Thomas A., 34, 59, 75, 101, 315 
Green, Tilly, 15, 284 
Green, William, 42, 57, 65, 66, 128, 

129, 308 
Green, William, 2d, 40 
Green, Zacheus, 43, 128, 278 
Grenier, Joseph, 37 

Hagan, Cris, 38 

Hale's Brook, 240 

Hall, L B., 110 

Hammond, T. M., 98 

Hancock, John, 22 

Hardy, Daniel, 311 

Hardy, Ebenezer, 19 

Hartwell, Asa, 45 

Hartwell, John, 3 

Hartwell, Rachel, 195 

Hartwell, Samuel, 45 

Harwood, Lucy, 195 

Harvey, Attie A., 313 

Haywood, Capt. Nathan, 31, 154 

Hazen, Rev. Henry A., 1 



Heald, Abi, 195 

Heald, Ai, 262, 316 

Heald, Alfred, 89 

Heald, Austin M., 89 

Heald, Betsey, (wife of E^hraim), 309 

Heald, Betsey, (wife of Jonathan), 298 

Heald, Betsey A., 298 

Heald, Benjamin F., 130, 164, 316, 

325, 326 
Heald, Benjamin F., 2d, 76 
Heald, Calvin, 127, 307 
Heald, Cyrus, 40, 129, 127 
Heald, Ephraim, 309 
Heald, George E., 37 
Heald, H. F., 38 

HeaM, Hannah Page Nutting, 303 
Heald, Capt. Israel, 19, 43 
Heald, Jonathan, 298 
Heald, Capt. John, Jr., 129 
Heald, John, 83 
Heald, Lieut. John, 19, 128 
Heald, John W., 49 
Heald, Jonathan, 24, 27, 28, 45, 51, 

128, 129, 276 
Heald, Jonathan, Jr., 127 
Heald, Joseph, 194 
Heald, Joseph V., 39, 129 
Heald, Josiah, 20 
Heald, Luranah G., 316 
Heald, Mrs. Mary, 297 
Heald, Mary C, 307 
Heald, Capt. Samuel, 22, 128, 297 
Heald, Lieut. Silas, 276 
Heald, Susan, 76, 316 
Heald, Thomas, 33, 45, 70, 83, 129, 

155, 163, 297 
Heald, Capt. Timothv, 129 
Heald, Timothy W., 89 
Heald, Warren F., 89 
Heald, William G., 303 
Heald, W. I., 117 
Henderson, Benjamin, 92 
Hervey, Rev. Mr., 200 
Heywood, Lieut. Nathan, 46 
Hide, Samuel, 9 
Hill, Artemas, 315 
Hill, Betsey R., 315 
HUl, Franklin L, 92 
Hodgman, Abel G., 67 
Hodgman, Amos H., 89 
Hodgman, Elizabeth, 195 
Hodgman, Josiah, 104, 293, 302 



INDEX 



361 



Hodgman, Lucy, 293 
Hodgman, Luther I., 89 
Hodgman, Thomas, 19 
Holland Farm, 53 
Holland, John W., 52, 53 
Hooper, Henry N., & Co., 164 
Hopkins, Rev. Daniel, 174 
Howe, John, 90 
Hull, Richmond N., 93 
Hutchins, Benjamin P., 129 
Hutchins, E. S., 32, 49, 101, 303 
Hutchins, Eliakim, 129 
Hutchins, Freeman, 89 
Hutchins, Samuel M., 90 
Hutchins, Sarah, 303 
Hutchins, Thomas J., 90 
Hutchinson, C. H., 26, 304 
Hutchinson, Hattie, 106 
Hutchinson, Joseph, 271 
Hutchinson, Lavina H., 304 
Hutchinson, Levi S., 164, 304 
Hutc'ninson, Martha A. Duren, 300 
Hutchinson, Nathaniel, 300 
Hutchinson, Nathaniel, 290 
Hutchinson, Nathaniel, 29, 32, 40, 

128, 241, 271 
Hutchinson, Mrs. Susan, 104 
Hutchinson, Mrs. Thankful. 290 
Hutchinson, Mrs. Thankful, 271 

Ingham, William A., 87, 90 

Jackson, Peter, 92 

Jacobs, John, 48, 56, 66, 67, 71, 82, 

129, 149, 211, 278 
Jacobs, John, Jr., 67, 127, 278 
Jacobs, Mrs. Mable, 195, 278 
Jacobs, Mrs. Maria, 278 
Jacobs, Martin, 231 
Jennerson, Matthew, 45 
Jessler, Gottlieb, 92 

Job, Rev. Philip, 125 
Johnson, James W., 313 
Jones, Emily F., 317 
Jones, George E., 38 

Kemp, James, 29, 30, 45, 152 
Keniston, Ann E. Stone. 314 
Keniston, Henry, 93, 314 
Kennedy, Richard, 92 
Kenney, Samuel, 37 



Keyes, Ephraim, 8 
Kibby, Samuel, 19 
Kidder, Amos, 242 
Kidder, Thomas, 10 
Kittredge, Paul C, 133 
Koford, Harold W., 247 
Koford, Walter, 38 
Kuntz, Joseph A., 92 

Lakin, Betsy, 297 

Lamson, Paul, 45 

Lane, Rev. Walter E., 203 

Lassen, Viggs I., 68 

LawTence, Rev. John, 212, 213, 214 

Lee, Mrs. Anna, 104 

Lee, Carrie, 104 

Lee, Herbert A., 127, 128 

Lee, Herbert E., 60 

Lee, Marshall, 34 

Lee, Ma'-y S., 315 

Lexington, 6, 44, 48, 50, 206 

Lincoln, 6 

Linsted, Ole, 60 

Litchfield, Albert, 90 

Litchfield, Clara, 317 

Litchfield, Franklin, 256 

Litchfield, George M., 90, 317 

Litchfield, George T., 93 

Litchfield, James J., 90 

Litchfield, Mabel, 67 

Litchfield, Mrs. Mary, 268 

Litchfield, Mary B., 289 

Litchfield, Rev. Paul, 69, 70, 75, 166, 

207, 268, 322, 323 
Litchfield, Paul, 290 
Litchfield, Paul Franklin, 312, 334-337 
Litchfield, Roland, 269 
Litchfield, Roland, 289 
Litchfield, Sarah E. Carter, 313 
Litchfield, William F., 90, 289, 353- 

354 
Little, George, Jr., 247 
Locke, Warren P., 90 
Long, Capt. A. E., 117 
Long, Dennis A., 354-355 
Long, James W., 60 
Long, Jeremiah, 112 
Lorrain, Wilfred, 60 
Lovering, James H.. 247 
Lovering, Joseph, 146 
Lowell, 41, 42, 52, 62, 93, 103 
Luce, Rev. Leonard, 215 



362 



INDEX 



Lyan, Michael, 38 
Lyons, Martin, 92 

Macdonald, Rev. L. B., 110 

Mackensay, James, 45 

Mahoney, John, 92 

Mann, Rev. Asa, 216 

Manning, Warren H., 121 

March, Austin T., 40 

Marden, Hon. George A., 110 

Marsh, Austin, 73, 127 

Marsh, Dr. Austin, 106, 307, 327-328 

Marsh, Dr. James E., 144 

Marsh, Mary W. Skelton, 307 

Marsh, Palmer A., 93 

Mason, Clarissa E., 312 

Mason, Marshall, 96, 312 

Maybury, Orrin, 90 

McCrady, George, 312 

McDonald, Benson, 313 

Means, William N., 92 

Meek, Timothy, 207 

Melvin, Mary F., 309 

Mernick, William, 247 

Mevis, Rev. Lyman, 109 

Mevis, Mrs. Lyman, 110 

Miller, Charles R., 37, 248 

Miller, R. O., 248 

Minot, James, 6 

Mongovern, John, 92 

Monroe, Amos T., 40 

Monroe, A. Warren, 300 

Monroe, George V., 90 

Monroe, Mary E., 300 

Monroe, Rebeccah, 286 

Monroe, Reuben, 286 

Monroe, William H., 90 

Moore, Martin, 145 

Moore, William, 90 

Morril, Reuben S., 92 

Morse, Mrs. Ella, 111 

Morse, W. W., 42 

Munroe, Jonas, 286 

Munroe, Nathan, 19 

Munroe, Nathan B., 44 

Munroe, Ruth. 172 

Munroe, Mrs. Sarah, 286 

Murphy, John, 92 

NefiF, Patrick, 45 
Nelson, Albert, 257 
Nelson, Dr. John, 39 



Nelson, John, 128 

Nickles, Ensign Abel, 46 

Nickles, Abel, 90 

Nickles, Asa, 87, 306 

Nickles, Asa Parker, 307 

Nickles, Charles E., 90 

Nickles, Ezekiel, 293 

Nickles, Capt. Ezekiel, 46, 71, 129 

Nickles, Fred P., 37, 259 

Nickles, George, 98 

Nickles, George P., 49, 91, 316 

Nickles, Gilman, 34, 40 

Nickles, James, 43 

Nickles, James W., 264 

Nickles, Jefferson, 161 

Nickles, John, 20 

Nickles, John C, 39 

Nickles, Lavina, 298 

Nickles, Maria L., 300 

Nickles, Mary Ellen, 307 

Nickles, Olive, 307 

Nickles, Otis, 91, 298 

Nickles, Prescott, 34, 71, 300 

Nickles, Rebekah, 293 

Nickles, Mrs. Ruhannah, 291 

Nickless, Sarah A., 316 

Nickles, Stephen, 94 

Nickles, Varnum, 294 

Nickles, W. Clifford, 264 

Nixon, Joseph, 44 

Norcross, George E., 91 

North Bridge, 6, 18, 80, 152 

Northum, William H., 90 

Noyes, Hobart M., 146 

Nuting, Hannah, 194 

Nuting, Sarah, 194 

Nutting, Amos H., 294 

Nutting, Cyrus, 33 

Nutting, Hannah, 294 

Old Concord Road, 24 
Old Hodgman House, 66 
Oliver, Peter, 45 
Olsen, Martin, 38 
O'Neal, John, 92 
Osgood, Isaac P., 91 
Otterson, George L, 38 

Page, Betsy, 291 
Page, Ezra, 302 
Page, G. W., 98 
Page, Gilbert W., 299 



INDEX 



363 



Page, Herbert A., 85 

Page, John, 168 

Page, Lucy A., 304 

Page, Sarah A., 299 

Page, Thomas, 291 

Page's Brook, 240 

Parker, Artemas, 39, 86, 289 

Parker, Frederick, 257 

Parker, Jonas, 53 

Parker, Maj. Jonas, 129, 275 

Parker, Lydia, 194 

Parker, Nathaniel, 19, 30, 39, 155, 275 

Parker, Mrs. Olive, 275 

Parker, Olive Maria, 144 

Parker, Sarah A., 289 

Parker, Sidney A., 91 

Parkhurst, Charles E., 60 

Parkhurst, S. Elizabeth, 300 

Parkhurst, William M., 300 

Parlin, Asa, 24, 74, 82, 154, 155, 286 

Parlin, David, 2 

Parlin, David, Jr., 276 

Parlin, Mrs. Elizabeth, 286 

Parlin, John, 1 

Parlin, Nathan, 128 

Parlin, Nathan, Jr., 45 

Parlin, Mrs. Sarah, 287 

Parlin, Sarah, 74 

Parlin, Mrs. Susannah, 287 

Parlin, Thaddeus, 45 

Patten, Rev. Abel, 210 

Patten, Mrs. Lydia S., 105, 106 

Patten, Rev. Moses, 105, 216 

Peck, Ernest D., 248 

Pedersen, Alfred, 38 

Pedersen, O. E., 249 

Pedersen, Palmer, 37 

Pedersen, Tora, 238 

Petersen, Edwin, 248 

Petersen, J. A., 249 

Petersen, Paul, 249 

Phips, S., 13 

Pierce, Rev. Granville, 234 

Piper, Rev. George F., 99 

Power, James T., 88, 316 

Powers, Rev. James T., 73, 76 

Prescott, Rev. E. J., 236 

Prescott, Humphrey, 128, 310 

Prescott, John H., 91 

Prescott, Martha M., 311 

Prescott, Mary C. Adams, 317 

Prescott, Mary T., 311 



Prescott, W. A., 115, 317 
Prescott, William, 104 
Proctor, Josiah K., 91 
Proctor, Mary, 194 
Proctor, Samuel, 44 
PuflFer, Jonathan, 8 
Puffer, Winthrop, 37 
Pulsifer, Joanna B., 311 

Railtree Hill, 122 

Raymond, William, 207 

Revolutionary Tavern, 64, 65 

Reynolds, Mrs. Edward, 111 

Richardson, Mrs. Serlina, 77, 284 

Ricker, Lillian, 166 

Ricker, Winfield S., 313 

Ridler, Samuel F., 93 

Riley, Cornelius, 92 

Riley, Peter, 312 

Ritz, Jacob F., 92 

River Meadow Brook, 240 

Robbins, A. G., 258 

Robbins, Aaron, 129, 274 

Robbins, Anna, 296 

Robbins, Benjamin, 45, 129 

Robbins, Caroline Lakin, 296 

Robbins, Charles H., 91 

Robbins, Charlotte E., 297 

Robbins, Daniel T., 337-338 

Robbins, Daniel W., 36, 61, 79, 91, 

102, 107, 127 
Robbins, Edson B., 37 
Robbins, Ephraim, 43, 40, 127, 129 

273 
Robbins, Ephraim, 296 
Robbins, F. E., 79, 166 
Robbins, George H., 42, 333-334 
Robbins, Henry C, 94 
Robbins, Deacon John, 273 
Robbins, Lieut. John, 274 
Robbins, John, 14, 19, 23 
Robbins, John, Jr., 19 
Robbins, John D., 130, 296, 325 
Robbins, Jonas, 19, 20, 273 
Robbins, Jonathan, 20, 297 
Robbins, Mrs. Lizzie L., 98 
Robbins, G. Maria, 296 
Robbins, Mrs. Mary, 273 
Robbins, P. N., 295 
Robbins, Samuel, 80 
Robbins, Samuel H., 297 
Robbins, Mrs. Sarah, 273 



364 



INDEX 



Robbins, Sarah Helen, 297 
Robbins, Mrs. Sibbil, 273 
Robbins, William F., 233 
Rogers, Charles A., 93 
Rose, E. B., 165, 312 
Roseten, Thomas, 93 
Russell, Hannah, 304 
Russell, J. S., 257 
Russell, Lieut. James, 152, 272 
Russell, James, Jr., 45 
Russell, Ly.lia Potter, 272 
Russell, W. L., 256 

Sargent, E. J. D., 295 

Sargent, R. E., 249 

Saunders, Harry G., 37 

Sawver, John, Jr., 154 

Schoolcraft, W. R., 250 

Schoolhouse Hill, 60, 62 

Scott, J. Adolphus, 317 

Scott, James, 93 

Scott, Louisa E., 306 

Scott, Mary G., 306 

Scott, Samuel E., 306 

Scott, Samuel E., 130 

Shedd, William, 10 

Sheely, David, 93 

Shirley, William, 11 

Simonds, Rebecca, 289 

Simons, Clarissa, 277 

Simons, Selar, 40, 49, 71, 86, 127, 

277 
Skelton, Artemas, 294 
Skelton, George S., 130 
Skelton, George S., 308 
Skelton, Martha J., 308 
Skelton, Mary, 294 
Skelton, Susan A., 307 
Skilton, Mary, 195 
Smith, Rev. J. S., 164 
Smith, Rev. P., 210, 211 
Sorli, J. A., 250 
South Chelmsford, 265 
Southmayed, Rev. D. L., 196 
Spaulding, Amos, 256, 277 
Spaulding, Dorcas P., 277 
Spaulding, Dorothy B., 277 
Spaulding, Harriet B., 305 
Spaulding, Henry, 305 
Spaulding, Harriet B., 305 
Spaulding, Jonathan, 242 
Spaulding, Thomas, 19, 20, 272 



Spaulding, Mrs. Thomas, 273 
Spaulding, Zebulun, 19, 22, 127, 128, 

277 
Spencer Brook, 240 
Spring, Rev. Samuel. 174 
Stacy, Rev. George W., 132, 200 
Stearns, Elijah, 154 
Stearns, Esther M. G., 303 
Stearns, Lowell, 303 
Stevens, Samuel, P., 40 
Stevens, William, 212 
Stevenson, Thomas G., 91 
Stickney, William, 18, 19 
Stiles, Lucius, 39 
Stone, Benjamin, 2 
Stone, Ebenezer, Jr., 45 
Stone, Reuben E., 94 
Stowe, William F., 232 
Styles, Lucius, 129 
Summerbell, Rev. B. F., 202 

Taylor, Abel, Jr., 211, 310 

Taylor, Abel, Jr., 75 

Taylor, Abraham, 287 

Taylor, Abram, 45 

Taylor, Artemas, 57, 310 

Taylor, Aurelia S., 310 

Taylor, Charles S., 38 

Taylor, Elizabeth, 172 

Taylor, Emeline Parker, 288 

Taylor, Widow Esther, 272 

Taylor, Fanny, 288 

Taylor, Frances, 310 

Taylor, Francis, Maria Manning, 288 

Taylor, Mrs. Francis, 287 

Taylor, George, 310 

Taylor, James, 310 

Taylor, James E., 61 

Taylor, John, 299 

Taylor, Maria, 310 

Taylor, Mercham, 45 

Taylor, Nathan, 289 

Taylor, Nathaniel, 272 

Taylor, Nathaniel, 287 

Taylor, Nathaniel A., 49, 84, 106, 306 

Taylor, Sarah, 194 

Taylor, Stephen, 49, 288 

Taylor, Stephen Parker, 288 

Teabo, Eugene R., 37 

Teabo, Roswell, 37 

Tewksbury, Rev. George A., 110 

Thompson, Rev. George W., 211 



INDEX 



365 



Tolman, A., & Co., 32 
Tolman, Elizabeth B., 144 
Tolman, George, 144 
Toolon, Peter, 92 
Tophet Swamp, 239 

Vining, John, 92 

Walcott, Charles H., 145 

Walsh, Gov. David I., 235 

Warren, Arthur, 122 

Washburn, William, 168 

Waters, John, 242 

Waters, Rev. Wilson, 263 

Webster, Benjamin H., 91 

Welch, Thomas, 45 

West, George, 37 

West, Dr. Stephen, 175 

Westford, 8, 9, 23 

Wheat, Ai, 36, 129, 276 

Wheat, Mrs. Betsey, 271 

Wheat, Lieut. Daniel, 25, 44, 45, 271 

Wheat, Daniel, 146 

Wheat, Irene G., 277 

Wheeler, Asa, 44 

Wheeler, Joel, 44 

Wheeler, Nathan, 46 

Wheeler, Simon, 45 

Whitefield, George, 151 

Whittaker, David, 7 

Whittemore, D. C, 37, 58 

Wiggin, Francis M., 91 

Wiggin, George W., 91 

Wiggin, True, 48, 53 

Wilkins, Ambrose, 94 

Wilkins, Andrew J., 316 

Wilkins, Anna, 301 

Wilkins, Rev. Benson P., 68 

Wilkins, Bridget, 315 

Wilkins, C. Ingraham, 94 

Wilkins, Doris, 68 

Wilkins, Edward E., 315 

Wilkins, Flossie, 104 

Wilkins, Frank, 98 

Wilkins, Frank E., 61, 104 

Wilkins, George E., 166 

Wilkins, George G., 36, 37 

Wilkins, George W., 303 



Wilkins, Hannah, 295 

Wilkins, Hannah, 194 

Wilkins, Hannah P., 296 

Wilkins Hill, 239 

Wilkins, Isaac, 19, 270 

Wilkins, .James, 294 

Wilkins, James H., 37, 60 

Wilkins, James W., 164, 199, 301 

Wilkins, James W., 39, 40 

Wilkins, James W., Jr., 91 

Wilkins, John, 295 

Wilkins, John B., 295 

Wilkins, Mrs. Lucy, 270 

Wilkins, Lucy Jane, 303 

Wilkins, Mrs. Margaret, 270 

Wilkins, Mary, 296 

Wilkins, Mrs. Mary (wife of Lieut. 

Isaac), 270 
Wilkins, Mrs. Mary (wife of Timothy) 

269 
Wilkms, Sarah, 295 
Wilkins, Timothy, 19, 33, 43, 51, 155, 

269 295 
Wilkins,' Timothy, Jr., 23, 25, 44, 270 
Wilkins, Timothy, 3d, 69 
Wilkins, Varnum, 94 
Wilkins, William, 295 
Wilkins, Zadoc, 169 
Wilson, D. J., 250 
Wilson, Mrs. Ernest, 166 
Wilson, George H., 314 
Wilson, Capt. H. W., 67, 77, 78, 79, 

300, 338-340 
Wilson Hill, 239 
Wilson, Horace N., 241, 314 
Wilson, Horace W., 49, 54, 57, 78 
Wilson, Mary Frances, 313 
Wilson, Mrs. Nettie, 204 
Wilson, Sybel, 314 
Wilson, Waldo E., 78 
WUson, William, 242 
Wood, Thomas, 44 
Woodruff, Aaron, 92 
Worthley, Charles T., 39, 87, 92, 301 
Worthley, Hiram P., 92 
Wyman, Joseph, 154 
Wyman, Lucinthi, 194 
Wyman & Sawyer, 169 



H 11 78 '^ 



V 



■o"^^ ^o. ^mm: .^' ^^ 



y ^^. o'^jo^* ^^ ^^ 




?*■ .^^-v. 






: -^0^ ;/ 






,*^\ 






:S^.' ^^ % ^^, 



A'^ 






o ^ 




.0- 






^ 















.'•., />^i, -r O 









vV 



K-,** .r^": \,,9** ..>Va- •^.. .,^. .*>«*'. V .^*^.. 

■ > •^ aS . ■ ^0* 'o . * " A. ^ - 






'^^- -^o <^ 






.^ 



% ^^^f^^^ ^^ 









0» 0, '^ 






A 



^. 



'o V' 



4\ > 






i^^^- 












i> c o"" * "'^ . 



^> 



c^ *'. 






°o 



.•J^' 



o « o ^ \J> 












-^^0^ 



.'^^'^.o-,.<^ 



-ov^^ 



1-^" . 



:-r^:^>,v :<- -^ 



,2 . -^ 







s#^ JAN 78 

■ . \J' N MANCHESTER 
INDIANA 












1-^" . 



-^An^ 



*ae./r?7^ " O 



^ov"^ 



LIbhAMY Ul- U 



.=1 




014 013 485 5, 



